The following appeared in the Houston Chronicle on September 22, 2011 and can be found here.
The United States is losing its advantage in the global talent pool as the number of adults gaining college degrees in countries such as China and South Korea increases rapidly, according to a new study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Two years ago, the U.S. ranked 12th in young adults 25 to 34 years of age with degrees or certificates. Now OECD reports that the U.S. has dropped to 15th.
Meanwhile, in Houston one-of-four adults do not have a high school diploma, while 40% of Hispanics lack a high school diploma. The number of families living in poverty has increased dramatically, while unemployment rates for those with less than a high school degree are roughly three times the rate of adults with college degrees (15% compared to 4.3% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report of July 2011). (More information can be found here.) According to the 2009 American Community Survey, the Greater Houston Metropolitan area has more than 823,000 adults who have some college credits, but have never earned a college degree.
Amid this disturbing news, the University of Houston-Downtown is one of eight universities invited to participate in Grad TX, a statewide initiative to encourage more than 40,000 Texans with more than 90 hours of college credits and no degree to return to school and earn their bachelor's degree. Moreover, this is an area where UHD excels, as the university has a long history of helping adults earn their bachelor's degree.
In early August, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board launched Grad TX with funding from a federal College Access Challenge Grant. The Grad TX program targets adults who "stopped out" of college with 90-plus hours of college credit to return to one of eight participating public universities in Texas and earn their bachelor's degree.
Of particular help at www.GradTX.org is an online transfer tool that allows candidates for re-admission to college to enter their completed coursework and assess how their credits would count toward a bachelor's degree at a participating university. Advisers at UHD and the other universities specialize in meeting the unique needs of returning students and evaluating how previous college work, military credits or credit by exam can provide credit toward a bachelor's degree and helping returning students graduate faster. Grad TX also offers information and guidance related to paying for college tuition, obtaining financial aid and addressing the needs of U.S. military veterans.
Only five weeks after Grad TX was announced, more than 10,000 visitors to www.GradTX.org have checked into what the program has to offer, with the most interest coming from the greater Houston area.
University of Houston-Downtown is well suited to be among the Grad TX universities. For many years, we have enjoyed a solid reputation for helping returning adult students complete their baccalaureate degrees while balancing work, family and school.
The accessibility and flexibility that we offer through our campus in the heart of downtown Houston situated near many major employers, coupled with our satellite suburban campuses and online course offerings, have made it easier for adults to pursue and complete a degree.
UHD is one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the nation, ranking 37th nationally for graduating both Hispanic and African-American students with bachelor's degrees. Our demographics match those of the city of Houston and its surrounding communities, with under-represented students making up the majority of our student population. UHD students range from age 16 to 76, and the average age of an undergraduate is 27. UHD is the second-largest university in Houston, with a current enrollment of more than 12,500 students.
Although returning students may choose to pursue any of UHD's 40 undergraduate degree programs, two programs have particular appeal to returning adult students. Our Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Applied Administration (BAAS-AA) offers students the opportunity to develop competencies and skills that prepare them for promotion to upper-level administrative and supervisory positions. Students who have completed an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in technical and occupational fields are strong candidates for the BAAS.
Our bachelor of science degree with a major in interdisciplinary studies allows returning students to select classes that complement coursework already completed. It is often a suitable alternative for returning students who have multiple interests or who have changed their career objectives over time, making a traditional major less fitting.
Earning a bachelor's degree makes a considerable difference for individuals, their family members and the economy as a whole. College graduates earn 84 percent more than people with only a high school diploma, according to The College Payoff Report recently released by Georgetown University's Center on Education and The Workforce. Those who hold a bachelor's degree currently can expect median lifetime earnings near $2.3 million while those with only a high school diploma average roughly $1.3 million or slightly more than $15 per hour.
Moreover, the Center for Houston's Future projects that simply increasing college attainment levels by 1% would result in a $4.2 billion annual increase to revenues in the Houston Region. UHD is part of the Center's Talent Dividend initiative to raise college attainment levels.
Clearly, Grad TX is an excellent reminder that it is never too late to return to college and that investing in higher education pays dividends for life - and for Texas.
Flores is president of the University of Houston-Downtown.
The United States is losing its advantage in the global talent pool as the number of adults gaining college degrees in countries such as China and South Korea increases rapidly, according to a new study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Two years ago, the U.S. ranked 12th in young adults 25 to 34 years of age with degrees or certificates. Now OECD reports that the U.S. has dropped to 15th.
Meanwhile, in Houston one-of-four adults do not have a high school diploma, while 40% of Hispanics lack a high school diploma. The number of families living in poverty has increased dramatically, while unemployment rates for those with less than a high school degree are roughly three times the rate of adults with college degrees (15% compared to 4.3% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report of July 2011). (More information can be found here.) According to the 2009 American Community Survey, the Greater Houston Metropolitan area has more than 823,000 adults who have some college credits, but have never earned a college degree.
Amid this disturbing news, the University of Houston-Downtown is one of eight universities invited to participate in Grad TX, a statewide initiative to encourage more than 40,000 Texans with more than 90 hours of college credits and no degree to return to school and earn their bachelor's degree. Moreover, this is an area where UHD excels, as the university has a long history of helping adults earn their bachelor's degree.
In early August, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board launched Grad TX with funding from a federal College Access Challenge Grant. The Grad TX program targets adults who "stopped out" of college with 90-plus hours of college credit to return to one of eight participating public universities in Texas and earn their bachelor's degree.
Of particular help at www.GradTX.org is an online transfer tool that allows candidates for re-admission to college to enter their completed coursework and assess how their credits would count toward a bachelor's degree at a participating university. Advisers at UHD and the other universities specialize in meeting the unique needs of returning students and evaluating how previous college work, military credits or credit by exam can provide credit toward a bachelor's degree and helping returning students graduate faster. Grad TX also offers information and guidance related to paying for college tuition, obtaining financial aid and addressing the needs of U.S. military veterans.
Only five weeks after Grad TX was announced, more than 10,000 visitors to www.GradTX.org have checked into what the program has to offer, with the most interest coming from the greater Houston area.
University of Houston-Downtown is well suited to be among the Grad TX universities. For many years, we have enjoyed a solid reputation for helping returning adult students complete their baccalaureate degrees while balancing work, family and school.
The accessibility and flexibility that we offer through our campus in the heart of downtown Houston situated near many major employers, coupled with our satellite suburban campuses and online course offerings, have made it easier for adults to pursue and complete a degree.
UHD is one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the nation, ranking 37th nationally for graduating both Hispanic and African-American students with bachelor's degrees. Our demographics match those of the city of Houston and its surrounding communities, with under-represented students making up the majority of our student population. UHD students range from age 16 to 76, and the average age of an undergraduate is 27. UHD is the second-largest university in Houston, with a current enrollment of more than 12,500 students.
Although returning students may choose to pursue any of UHD's 40 undergraduate degree programs, two programs have particular appeal to returning adult students. Our Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Applied Administration (BAAS-AA) offers students the opportunity to develop competencies and skills that prepare them for promotion to upper-level administrative and supervisory positions. Students who have completed an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in technical and occupational fields are strong candidates for the BAAS.
Our bachelor of science degree with a major in interdisciplinary studies allows returning students to select classes that complement coursework already completed. It is often a suitable alternative for returning students who have multiple interests or who have changed their career objectives over time, making a traditional major less fitting.
Earning a bachelor's degree makes a considerable difference for individuals, their family members and the economy as a whole. College graduates earn 84 percent more than people with only a high school diploma, according to The College Payoff Report recently released by Georgetown University's Center on Education and The Workforce. Those who hold a bachelor's degree currently can expect median lifetime earnings near $2.3 million while those with only a high school diploma average roughly $1.3 million or slightly more than $15 per hour.
Moreover, the Center for Houston's Future projects that simply increasing college attainment levels by 1% would result in a $4.2 billion annual increase to revenues in the Houston Region. UHD is part of the Center's Talent Dividend initiative to raise college attainment levels.
Clearly, Grad TX is an excellent reminder that it is never too late to return to college and that investing in higher education pays dividends for life - and for Texas.
Flores is president of the University of Houston-Downtown.
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