Over the past year, I've shared some of the key lessons we've learned at the University of Houston-Downtown that might be shared with other universities. I started the blog when I began as president at UHD. For new followers, I encourage you to read some of the earlier posts.
In my last post, I mentioned efforts by President Obama, Lumina Foundation, and others to increase the percentage of adults with college degrees. The University of Houston-Downtown is the 13th largest public institution in Texas and the second largest university in Houston. Over 80% of our students work 30 hours or more and about a quarter of all students work more than 40 hours or per week, often in two jobs. The average age of our students is 28 years. So, our students are predominantly working adults, many of them have children and families to support.
UHD has been nationally recognized as a Top 100 university in producing minority baccalaureate students. We rank 33rd in the country in awarding baccalaureate degrees to Hispanics and 47th for awarding baccalaureate degrees to African Americans. This past year we graduated over 2,400 students with bachelor's and graduate degrees. We are determined to increase these numbers.
Followers of this blog have asked me to briefly summarize some of what occurred in my first year as president at UHD. When I arrived in Houston and at UHD, I began my presidency by walking around and listening. I visited with students, faculty, alumni, regents, members of the President's Advisory Board, and elected officials. I spoke before most colleges at UHD and several departments. I held focus groups and distributed a survey online and via email asking five very simple questions: 1) What does UHD do very well and where could we excel? 2) In what areas does UHD pretty good and with a different emphasis could be very good? 3) What areas should UHD stop doing? 4) What resources does UHD leave on the table (grants, foundations, corporations, partnerships, etc.) and, lastly, 5) If you were UHD president for one day and could make one change, what would it be?
We put together a team of faculty and staff to summarize the survey results. We then held several leadership retreats, built around the Good to Great model, and used the survey results as a starting point. We revised our mission, established goals, and this summer decided upon a single big goal (BHAG in the Good to Great vernacular): UHD will be known as a premier city university engaging every student in high impact experiences.
We also agreed on preliminary goals and metrics for 2020. For example, we want to dramatically grow graduate programs and expand our research. We project that UHD will have over 22,000 students by 2020 with roughly 8-10 per cent of total student enrollment coming from graduate programs. We will greatly expand the number of online degrees with roughly a quarter of all enrollment online by 2020. We have already launched discussions among the faculty on steps we can take to implement these ambitious goals.
But key to our focus is building strong undergraduate degrees developed around a culture of high-impact experiences. What are high-impact experiences and why do we want all UHD students to receive these experiences? They include learning communities, undergraduate research, peer mentoring, first-year experience programs, service learning, internships, work teams, capstone courses, etc. These activities engage students in experiential learning and provide them opportunities to work closely with faculty. Research nationally and our own experience show that students who participate in high-impact experiences are more likely to graduate than those students who don't receive such experiences. They are also more likely to graduate on-time.
UHD has a long history of such programs, including the Scholars Academy which has been recognized by the NSF and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for their success in graduating students from underrepresented ethnic and racial groups in STEM fields. UHD also has a long history of providing high-quality internships with corporations, non profits, and public agencies, as well as service learning courses that address issues affecting the Houston area. In the course of the planning retreats, we decided to build off this strength, expand it, and make it a cohesive part of the UHD learning experience.
But, we also want to ensure our students are prepared for 21st Century jobs. Technology is changing rapidly and industries are developing new jobs and requiring new skills. Most of the top 10 jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004 and many companies in the Fortune 500 did not exist in 1990. One of the nation's largest public agencies did not exist in 2000. So, we must not only prepare students for jobs that exist today, we must provide them with skill sets they can use to solve problems that don't yet exist with technologies that haven't been developed for industries that now seem only distant dreams.
I have asked our faculty and the provost to work together to decide on what every UHD graduate should know in the 21st Century. They will be using as starting points the work of national higher education organizations, such as AAC&U, AASCU, ACE, and others, along with recommendations of the U.S. Chamber and American Association of Manufacturer's. These groups recommend that all college students graduate with critical thinking skills, analytical and problem-solving skills, global understanding, team work, and excellent communication skills, among others. Our faculty will decide on appropriate competencies. We will then integrate these competencies into every major UHD offers and assess learning to those competencies.
We are also working hard to retain and graduate students. This year we launched a common reading program with 800 freshmen students receiving the book Outliers by Malcom Gladwell. Nearly 60 faculty and over 600 students participated in a special session a week before classes to discuss the book.We made a pledge to the students: if they agree to work hard, take the required courses, and regularly meet with an adviser, we will mentor them and help them to graduate on time. Faculty are now following up with those students to ensure their success.
Finally, we are meeting with community colleges throughout Houston to re-affirm and re-sign joint admission and reverse transfer programs so that students from community colleges will earn full credit at UHD. More than three-fourths of our students are transfer students, so it is important that we build strong partnerships and full articulation with the major community college districts that surround UHD.
UHD will do everything it can to increase the number of degrees we award. We want to be part of the national effort to increase the percentage of adults with college degrees. I will keep you informed of our progress.
Showing posts with label UHD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UHD. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Lessons from the Investiture
When I first came to the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD), several faculty and a couple of deans asked me if we would be having a 'big' celebration, what some termed an 'inauguration.' After all, UHD had never had an investiture. I explained that I wasn't fully comfortable with making such a decision and that it should be up to the campus. I was adamant that if we did organize an investiture, I wanted to be sure that we would keep costs low and use the event for fund raising, especially for student scholarships. I also felt we should use the investiture to further build the reputation of the university and its ties to the community.
Well, we certainly did that. With sponsorships throughout the week, in-kind contributions, pledges and actual cash donations, we are figure the campus raised a little more than $450,000, with about $350,000 going to scholarships! That's pretty exciting, especially since we put the scholarship dinner together in less than four months.
We learned a lot through the activities, which everyone enjoyed. So, here are some lessons:
1) Make Sure the Campus Leadership Buys Into the Decision. The Faculty Senate, Staff Council, and Student Government leadership all were directly involved in organizing our events. A vice president and a faculty member co-chaired the Investiture Committee and involved scores of faculty, staff and students in the committee and many more organizing the events.
2) Showcase the Work of Students, Staff, and Faculty. Musical and dance performances by students and faculty were interspersed throughout the week. We set up a permanent faculty publications display in the library and held several well-attended faculty panels. The cheer squad led chants at different events and we introduced the National Championship Powerlifting Team. Students and staff held auditions to see who would sing the Star-Spangled Banner at the event. Student scholastic work was showcased in poster session, alongside displays of faculty art work.
3) Link the Investiture to Existing Campus and Community Events. We were able to connect with the Buffalo Bayou Partnership's Bayou Regatta, a citywide canoe and kayak race that ends near the campus. Also, the Bayou Partnership provided boat ride tours of the Bayou on Friday during Investiture week, where docents explained the history of the Bayou and buildings along the Bayou, including the old Merchant and Mercantile building where UHD now sits.
We also linked with the citywide FotoFest which launched Friday night, which held its opening reception next to the UHD College of Business building. We began the week with the citywide annual Fulbright Arts Festival, which was held at UHD that first Saturday and ended with the Regatta and the 51st Science and Engineering Fair of Houston, which is organized and sponsored in part by UHD. And, we moved a lecture by former Lt. Governor Bill Hobby to Investiture Week, who gave a wonderful lecture, 'A Political Atlas of Texas.' All of this was done without extra cost.
4. Raise Money! When we first began organizing the investiture there was considerable skepticism about our ability to raise any funds during a recession. But, we used the opportunity to meet with alumni, past donors, advisory boards, and several local companies, some of which do business with the university. Everyone was happy to give whatever they could. Sometimes it was a pledge, other times, it was a steep reduction in price, or a donation to the events. Keep track of every penny raised and thank every donor!
5. Keep Perspective: The Investiture is About the University, Not the President. We used the opportunity to strengthen relations with our alumni, our donors, our regents, with the system, with elected officials, and with the community-at-large. Several presidents and delegates came from Texas and from colleges and universities in other states, and from Mexico. Rather than renting a hotel, we held the Scholarship Dinner on campus at our University Events Center. And, we held the Investiture Ceremony at the city-owned Wortham Center. Throughout the week, we used the ceremonies and week-long activities to raise the public profile of the campus. We received wonderful coverage in the press and had good attendance for most of the events.
6. Have Fun. Everyone enjoyed themselves and we ended the Friday events with a staff roundup and Chili Cook-Off. The event was organized by the UHD Staff Council We had live music and lots of booths. Everyone had a great time.
I did my best to attend as many Investiture events as possible. Some I spoke at, some I simply attended and enjoyed. And, I found time to spend with family and friends, many of whom came to Houston for the celebration. Family and friends came from California, New Mexico, Texas and other states. I incorporated them into the activities, but also found time to spend only with family.
All-in-all the UHD Investiture Week was a great success! The campus is much closer now. There is a wonderful spirit among the faculty, staff, and students. As a university, we are moving forward. Yes, at UHD we truly are 'Making a Name for Ourselves.' And, we are 'Changing Lives, Building Futures!'
The Investiture speech can be viewed here.
Well, we certainly did that. With sponsorships throughout the week, in-kind contributions, pledges and actual cash donations, we are figure the campus raised a little more than $450,000, with about $350,000 going to scholarships! That's pretty exciting, especially since we put the scholarship dinner together in less than four months.
We learned a lot through the activities, which everyone enjoyed. So, here are some lessons:
1) Make Sure the Campus Leadership Buys Into the Decision. The Faculty Senate, Staff Council, and Student Government leadership all were directly involved in organizing our events. A vice president and a faculty member co-chaired the Investiture Committee and involved scores of faculty, staff and students in the committee and many more organizing the events.
2) Showcase the Work of Students, Staff, and Faculty. Musical and dance performances by students and faculty were interspersed throughout the week. We set up a permanent faculty publications display in the library and held several well-attended faculty panels. The cheer squad led chants at different events and we introduced the National Championship Powerlifting Team. Students and staff held auditions to see who would sing the Star-Spangled Banner at the event. Student scholastic work was showcased in poster session, alongside displays of faculty art work.
3) Link the Investiture to Existing Campus and Community Events. We were able to connect with the Buffalo Bayou Partnership's Bayou Regatta, a citywide canoe and kayak race that ends near the campus. Also, the Bayou Partnership provided boat ride tours of the Bayou on Friday during Investiture week, where docents explained the history of the Bayou and buildings along the Bayou, including the old Merchant and Mercantile building where UHD now sits.
We also linked with the citywide FotoFest which launched Friday night, which held its opening reception next to the UHD College of Business building. We began the week with the citywide annual Fulbright Arts Festival, which was held at UHD that first Saturday and ended with the Regatta and the 51st Science and Engineering Fair of Houston, which is organized and sponsored in part by UHD. And, we moved a lecture by former Lt. Governor Bill Hobby to Investiture Week, who gave a wonderful lecture, 'A Political Atlas of Texas.' All of this was done without extra cost.
4. Raise Money! When we first began organizing the investiture there was considerable skepticism about our ability to raise any funds during a recession. But, we used the opportunity to meet with alumni, past donors, advisory boards, and several local companies, some of which do business with the university. Everyone was happy to give whatever they could. Sometimes it was a pledge, other times, it was a steep reduction in price, or a donation to the events. Keep track of every penny raised and thank every donor!
5. Keep Perspective: The Investiture is About the University, Not the President. We used the opportunity to strengthen relations with our alumni, our donors, our regents, with the system, with elected officials, and with the community-at-large. Several presidents and delegates came from Texas and from colleges and universities in other states, and from Mexico. Rather than renting a hotel, we held the Scholarship Dinner on campus at our University Events Center. And, we held the Investiture Ceremony at the city-owned Wortham Center. Throughout the week, we used the ceremonies and week-long activities to raise the public profile of the campus. We received wonderful coverage in the press and had good attendance for most of the events.
6. Have Fun. Everyone enjoyed themselves and we ended the Friday events with a staff roundup and Chili Cook-Off. The event was organized by the UHD Staff Council We had live music and lots of booths. Everyone had a great time.
I did my best to attend as many Investiture events as possible. Some I spoke at, some I simply attended and enjoyed. And, I found time to spend with family and friends, many of whom came to Houston for the celebration. Family and friends came from California, New Mexico, Texas and other states. I incorporated them into the activities, but also found time to spend only with family.
All-in-all the UHD Investiture Week was a great success! The campus is much closer now. There is a wonderful spirit among the faculty, staff, and students. As a university, we are moving forward. Yes, at UHD we truly are 'Making a Name for Ourselves.' And, we are 'Changing Lives, Building Futures!'
The Investiture speech can be viewed here.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Changing Lives, Building Futures
The following is the text of my Investiture Speech (or view the video here):
Chancellor Renu Khator, Regent Welcome Wilson, President Jay Gogue and the many other presidents, including the UHD past presidents, and delegates, elected officials, faculty and alumni, friends and those of you who traveled far, I want to thank each of you for joining us today.
I am very pleased to have several family members here with me today and I would like to introduce, my wife, Celina; my father, Bill, who I am named after; my brother, Glenn; and my wife’s mother, Emma. Unfortunately, my Mother is no longer with us, but I am certain she is looking down from heaven and smiling with pride.
This is truly a very special day and occasion that brings new history to the University Of Houston-Downtown, UHD. I am deeply moved by all of the contributions we have received to fully fund this investiture and to create or expand several endowed scholarships for our students. I especially thank our sponsors and our donors. We are extremely grateful for your generosity and commitment to UHD! Your support truly is “Changing Lives, Building Futures.”
I also want to thank the regents, the past presidents, the faculty and staff of UHD, and the legislators. Your vision in establishing the University Of Houston-Downtown has given Houston an amazing university. UHD sits in the heart of the city, connected by freeway, rail and bayou. You had the foresight to build the university downtown and we receive students from every corner of Houston. Thank you.
As I stand here today, looking at my father, who has always been an inspiration to me, I cannot help but think of the theme of the investiture, “Changing Lives, Building Futures,” which resonates with my own life.
Education provided me with an immense opportunity for a very different life than I would have had without a college degree. After all, I never dreamt of being a university president.
In fact, growing up I didn’t think about going to college, at least not in the beginning. I was the only one in my family, including many cousins, to go to college and earn a degree directly out of high school.
Why was this the case? I am convinced it was because of my family. I grew up with parents committed to education. When I was in the third grade, my Dad went back to school. He had left high school to fight in World War II. He took classes at night while working full time. He would study at breakfast and dinner. And, sometimes I studied with him and with my Mom. I learned to love reading and to value education.
I remember when we got our first encyclopedia, buying a volume every week at the local store for 49 cents when we bought a bag of groceries. We traveled that summer for vacation and we missed one of the volumes, the letter “S.” It always seemed I needed something from that missing volume. Later, my Mom bought a complete set of the world book encyclopedia. I remember sitting down, grabbing each volume with excitement, looking at the pictures, and reading the articles.
My Mother often said, “Books open up the world. You can see places you could never visit and read about things you will never experience.”
Like many young boys, I thought I would be a firefighter or maybe a jet pilot. Most of my family had been in the armed forces or worked in aerospace. My Dad worked for the Department of Defense, my Mom had worked on airplanes during World War II, painting the dials on the control panels of the planes. Several aunts and cousins worked in the defense plants. In high school, I worked one summer as a machinist, grinding and polishing ailerons for the wings of the C5A transport carrier.
When I was in elementary school, my Dad took the family to the natural history museum in San Diego’s Balboa Park and I was awed by a display of dinosaurs. I wanted to dig up dinosaur bones. So, I got a little claw hammer and started digging up the backyard with our dog digging alongside me. We didn’t find any bones, but that didn’t stop me. I think we did some serious damage to a fruit tree. Later, I longed to be an astronaut and walk on the moon. When I started college, I wanted to be a doctor and save lives.
Now, I am a president and don’t do any of those things. Even so, college opened the door of opportunity and created pathways for my future. A college education meant that I could have more than just a job. It has allowed me several exciting careers. I’ve run a health center, worked in non-profits and for private industry. Later, I earned a doctoral degree and taught at various universities. And, of course, it led me here to Houston and onto this stage for this celebratory occasion.
And, I’m proud to be UHD’S President. Why? UHD is the thirteenth largest public university in Texas. It is also one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the country. We have truly great faculty and staff who are committed to this institution, to its mission, and to our students.
UHD opens the doors of opportunity for our students, who are often the first generation in their family to attend college. Most work at least 30 hours per week while attending classes and many of our students work full time.
At the same time, we understand higher education must be affordable and of the highest quality. UHD remains committed to opportunity, access and affordability. And, we are committed to excellence.
UHD is truly an opportunity university in Houston--the City of Opportunity. It is where working students and professionals can earn their degrees. And as you walk through the halls, you will see, UHD looks like Houston, just as Houston looks like the future of America!
Universities play a special role in society. But, there is always tension around change. Universities bridge yesterday with tomorrow. Universities are relics of time and thresholds to the future. They are bulwarks of tradition and engines of innovation. We wear these fancy robes and funny hats that go all the way back to the middle ages. An investiture was when the pope invested a bishop, or a king invested a lord with land and title. Of course, presidents don't have the power or authority of kings or lords. But, we oversee great universities, which study the past and make discoveries that can open up new and exciting worlds, and provide understanding of the past and present.
As Albert Einstein said, “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.” That is what we help students do, to understand the present, to think critically, and to build bright futures.
We cannot linger in the past, lest we fail to grasp the future. Henry Kissinger once said, “It is far easier to change the course of history, than to change a history course.”
After all, it takes a professor years of research to earn a Ph.D. and, it can take even longer for disciplines to accept new ideas or new ways of doing things. But universities must change to better serve our students. The world is changing rapidly and we must change with it.
There is an old Hebrew proverb: “Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time.”
That was never more true than today. After all, as faculty, many of us were trained decades ago, in what is now a previous century. We are completing the first decade of not only a new century, but, indeed, a new millennium.
Today, students confront a turbulent, global economy with rising powers, such as China and India. In fact, this morning’s news had a story on the richest person in the world. It is no longer Bill Gates or Warren Buffett. It is communications giant Carlos Slim from Mexico. In fact, India, Brazil and Mexico accounted for four of the ten richest people in the world. So the world is changing. And, as we saw with the worldwide recession, every country’s economy is interdependent. We cannot predict what the future will bring. Yet, we must prepare our students for this very complex and changing world.
We also have entered a digital, interactive, connected and convergent world. The high school graduating class of 2020 enters the third grade next fall. They were born in the 21st century. They are growing up in a digital world—-where, for them, cell phones have always taken photographs, where their brothers and sisters have always sent each other text messages, and where the first place they go when they have a question is to Google or Wikipedia.
These students of the new millennium will need a very different education than what we received. It is our responsibility to provide it to them. We must to build a university that meets the needs of the 21st century.
Since I arrived, I have engaged the university in a broad and inclusive planning process. We are thinking about how teaching and learning must change to better prepare our students. In the next few years, you will see profound changes at UHD. I am excited by the enthusiasm and the willingness of our faculty and staff to try new things and to re-envision and remake the university. In fact, many UHD faculty are leaders in applying technology to their research and their teaching.
Universities are America’s best source of innovation, imagination, discovery, invention and creativity. Our students will become tomorrow’s teachers, social workers, doctors, entrepreneurs, artists and scientists. They will build tomorrow’s world and we must give them the tools today to make their world a better place. Who knows? One day one of our students may discover a cure for cancer—or at least, perhaps, the common cold.
Great universities are essential to America’s future. To maintain its leadership position internationally, more Americans must receive a college education. And they must be prepared for this world of growing complexity and rapid technological change.
We are working on plans to ensure that every student receives a deep and memorable experience at UHD, be it internships, undergraduate research, civic engagement or capstone projects. We will improve student success at UHD; we will increase the number of students who graduate each year.
At UHD, we care about Houston and Texas and we want to help create a city of the future, just as we are working to build a university of the future. We address social problems confronting Houston and urge our students to address these problems through research and community service. Over the next few years, we will develop new undergraduate and graduate degrees and will add more online courses and degrees to meet the needs of Houston’s and America’s changing global economy. And, we will build a strong, leading metropolitan comprehensive university, one that will make Houston proud. And, we will work hard to become a leader nationally in educating first generation students, especially Hispanics and African Americans.
A great city is more than skyscrapers. It is more than steel, concrete and highways. A great city such as Houston must have a spirit that transcends the present and captivates the imagination. Universities help create that spirit and raise the aspirations and imaginations of the citizenry.
Houston must have an educated citizenry and UHD helps do just that. But, we do more than simply train, educate and provide degrees. We elevate aspirations and thinking. We help our students achieve their dreams. We change lives and build futures.
In 1914, philosopher John Dewey who believed that education is life itself, wrote, “Universities are public, not just because they receive public funds, but because they serve the public good and prepare citizens for the good of society.” That’s what we do.
UHD provides students with opportunities for life-long learning. Of course, students work hard to earn degrees, but we also provide them with the tools to build a future: critical thinking skills, the ability to communicate, the ability to relate to others and work in teams, an appreciation for right and wrong, for ethics, diversity and the ability to work with individuals from all cultures and walks of life.
Our students gain lessons in leadership and the ability to look beyond themselves. They will have the skills to address the problems our country will face and make discoveries that our society will need as the world changes. We prepare students to be engaged citizens in today’s global society, which, in turn, strengthens the fabric of our democracy.
I am reminded of Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1930s. The country had just come out of a terrible depression and war loomed on the horizon. Yet, she was hopeful. For her America could not wait for tomorrow to construct a new world today. She said, “It is today we must create the world of the future.”
Yes! Today! We must create the future!
And, as the fifth President of the University of Houston-Downtown, I am very proud to be here and together we change lives and build futures.
And like that Black Eyed Peas’ song, "Let’s Get It Started!"
Thank you.
Chancellor Renu Khator, Regent Welcome Wilson, President Jay Gogue and the many other presidents, including the UHD past presidents, and delegates, elected officials, faculty and alumni, friends and those of you who traveled far, I want to thank each of you for joining us today.
I am very pleased to have several family members here with me today and I would like to introduce, my wife, Celina; my father, Bill, who I am named after; my brother, Glenn; and my wife’s mother, Emma. Unfortunately, my Mother is no longer with us, but I am certain she is looking down from heaven and smiling with pride.
This is truly a very special day and occasion that brings new history to the University Of Houston-Downtown, UHD. I am deeply moved by all of the contributions we have received to fully fund this investiture and to create or expand several endowed scholarships for our students. I especially thank our sponsors and our donors. We are extremely grateful for your generosity and commitment to UHD! Your support truly is “Changing Lives, Building Futures.”
I also want to thank the regents, the past presidents, the faculty and staff of UHD, and the legislators. Your vision in establishing the University Of Houston-Downtown has given Houston an amazing university. UHD sits in the heart of the city, connected by freeway, rail and bayou. You had the foresight to build the university downtown and we receive students from every corner of Houston. Thank you.
As I stand here today, looking at my father, who has always been an inspiration to me, I cannot help but think of the theme of the investiture, “Changing Lives, Building Futures,” which resonates with my own life.
Education provided me with an immense opportunity for a very different life than I would have had without a college degree. After all, I never dreamt of being a university president.
In fact, growing up I didn’t think about going to college, at least not in the beginning. I was the only one in my family, including many cousins, to go to college and earn a degree directly out of high school.
Why was this the case? I am convinced it was because of my family. I grew up with parents committed to education. When I was in the third grade, my Dad went back to school. He had left high school to fight in World War II. He took classes at night while working full time. He would study at breakfast and dinner. And, sometimes I studied with him and with my Mom. I learned to love reading and to value education.
I remember when we got our first encyclopedia, buying a volume every week at the local store for 49 cents when we bought a bag of groceries. We traveled that summer for vacation and we missed one of the volumes, the letter “S.” It always seemed I needed something from that missing volume. Later, my Mom bought a complete set of the world book encyclopedia. I remember sitting down, grabbing each volume with excitement, looking at the pictures, and reading the articles.
My Mother often said, “Books open up the world. You can see places you could never visit and read about things you will never experience.”
Like many young boys, I thought I would be a firefighter or maybe a jet pilot. Most of my family had been in the armed forces or worked in aerospace. My Dad worked for the Department of Defense, my Mom had worked on airplanes during World War II, painting the dials on the control panels of the planes. Several aunts and cousins worked in the defense plants. In high school, I worked one summer as a machinist, grinding and polishing ailerons for the wings of the C5A transport carrier.
When I was in elementary school, my Dad took the family to the natural history museum in San Diego’s Balboa Park and I was awed by a display of dinosaurs. I wanted to dig up dinosaur bones. So, I got a little claw hammer and started digging up the backyard with our dog digging alongside me. We didn’t find any bones, but that didn’t stop me. I think we did some serious damage to a fruit tree. Later, I longed to be an astronaut and walk on the moon. When I started college, I wanted to be a doctor and save lives.
Now, I am a president and don’t do any of those things. Even so, college opened the door of opportunity and created pathways for my future. A college education meant that I could have more than just a job. It has allowed me several exciting careers. I’ve run a health center, worked in non-profits and for private industry. Later, I earned a doctoral degree and taught at various universities. And, of course, it led me here to Houston and onto this stage for this celebratory occasion.
And, I’m proud to be UHD’S President. Why? UHD is the thirteenth largest public university in Texas. It is also one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the country. We have truly great faculty and staff who are committed to this institution, to its mission, and to our students.
UHD opens the doors of opportunity for our students, who are often the first generation in their family to attend college. Most work at least 30 hours per week while attending classes and many of our students work full time.
At the same time, we understand higher education must be affordable and of the highest quality. UHD remains committed to opportunity, access and affordability. And, we are committed to excellence.
UHD is truly an opportunity university in Houston--the City of Opportunity. It is where working students and professionals can earn their degrees. And as you walk through the halls, you will see, UHD looks like Houston, just as Houston looks like the future of America!
Universities play a special role in society. But, there is always tension around change. Universities bridge yesterday with tomorrow. Universities are relics of time and thresholds to the future. They are bulwarks of tradition and engines of innovation. We wear these fancy robes and funny hats that go all the way back to the middle ages. An investiture was when the pope invested a bishop, or a king invested a lord with land and title. Of course, presidents don't have the power or authority of kings or lords. But, we oversee great universities, which study the past and make discoveries that can open up new and exciting worlds, and provide understanding of the past and present.
As Albert Einstein said, “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.” That is what we help students do, to understand the present, to think critically, and to build bright futures.
We cannot linger in the past, lest we fail to grasp the future. Henry Kissinger once said, “It is far easier to change the course of history, than to change a history course.”
After all, it takes a professor years of research to earn a Ph.D. and, it can take even longer for disciplines to accept new ideas or new ways of doing things. But universities must change to better serve our students. The world is changing rapidly and we must change with it.
There is an old Hebrew proverb: “Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time.”
That was never more true than today. After all, as faculty, many of us were trained decades ago, in what is now a previous century. We are completing the first decade of not only a new century, but, indeed, a new millennium.
Today, students confront a turbulent, global economy with rising powers, such as China and India. In fact, this morning’s news had a story on the richest person in the world. It is no longer Bill Gates or Warren Buffett. It is communications giant Carlos Slim from Mexico. In fact, India, Brazil and Mexico accounted for four of the ten richest people in the world. So the world is changing. And, as we saw with the worldwide recession, every country’s economy is interdependent. We cannot predict what the future will bring. Yet, we must prepare our students for this very complex and changing world.
We also have entered a digital, interactive, connected and convergent world. The high school graduating class of 2020 enters the third grade next fall. They were born in the 21st century. They are growing up in a digital world—-where, for them, cell phones have always taken photographs, where their brothers and sisters have always sent each other text messages, and where the first place they go when they have a question is to Google or Wikipedia.
These students of the new millennium will need a very different education than what we received. It is our responsibility to provide it to them. We must to build a university that meets the needs of the 21st century.
Since I arrived, I have engaged the university in a broad and inclusive planning process. We are thinking about how teaching and learning must change to better prepare our students. In the next few years, you will see profound changes at UHD. I am excited by the enthusiasm and the willingness of our faculty and staff to try new things and to re-envision and remake the university. In fact, many UHD faculty are leaders in applying technology to their research and their teaching.
Universities are America’s best source of innovation, imagination, discovery, invention and creativity. Our students will become tomorrow’s teachers, social workers, doctors, entrepreneurs, artists and scientists. They will build tomorrow’s world and we must give them the tools today to make their world a better place. Who knows? One day one of our students may discover a cure for cancer—or at least, perhaps, the common cold.
Great universities are essential to America’s future. To maintain its leadership position internationally, more Americans must receive a college education. And they must be prepared for this world of growing complexity and rapid technological change.
We are working on plans to ensure that every student receives a deep and memorable experience at UHD, be it internships, undergraduate research, civic engagement or capstone projects. We will improve student success at UHD; we will increase the number of students who graduate each year.
At UHD, we care about Houston and Texas and we want to help create a city of the future, just as we are working to build a university of the future. We address social problems confronting Houston and urge our students to address these problems through research and community service. Over the next few years, we will develop new undergraduate and graduate degrees and will add more online courses and degrees to meet the needs of Houston’s and America’s changing global economy. And, we will build a strong, leading metropolitan comprehensive university, one that will make Houston proud. And, we will work hard to become a leader nationally in educating first generation students, especially Hispanics and African Americans.
A great city is more than skyscrapers. It is more than steel, concrete and highways. A great city such as Houston must have a spirit that transcends the present and captivates the imagination. Universities help create that spirit and raise the aspirations and imaginations of the citizenry.
Houston must have an educated citizenry and UHD helps do just that. But, we do more than simply train, educate and provide degrees. We elevate aspirations and thinking. We help our students achieve their dreams. We change lives and build futures.
In 1914, philosopher John Dewey who believed that education is life itself, wrote, “Universities are public, not just because they receive public funds, but because they serve the public good and prepare citizens for the good of society.” That’s what we do.
UHD provides students with opportunities for life-long learning. Of course, students work hard to earn degrees, but we also provide them with the tools to build a future: critical thinking skills, the ability to communicate, the ability to relate to others and work in teams, an appreciation for right and wrong, for ethics, diversity and the ability to work with individuals from all cultures and walks of life.
Our students gain lessons in leadership and the ability to look beyond themselves. They will have the skills to address the problems our country will face and make discoveries that our society will need as the world changes. We prepare students to be engaged citizens in today’s global society, which, in turn, strengthens the fabric of our democracy.
I am reminded of Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1930s. The country had just come out of a terrible depression and war loomed on the horizon. Yet, she was hopeful. For her America could not wait for tomorrow to construct a new world today. She said, “It is today we must create the world of the future.”
Yes! Today! We must create the future!
And, as the fifth President of the University of Houston-Downtown, I am very proud to be here and together we change lives and build futures.
And like that Black Eyed Peas’ song, "Let’s Get It Started!"
Thank you.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Faces of the Future: Amazing Accomplishments of UHD Students
One of the true joys of being the president of the University of Houston-Downtown is having an opportunity to meet some of our outstanding students. They are the faces of America's future.
I have previously mentioned the work of our Powerlifting Team that has won two national championships and our Model UN team that has gone on to win recognition in New York, Madrid, Paris, Mexico City, and Milan. But, our students just keep winning. We even have one student who is an Olympic medalist and has written a book about her experiences!
On Saturday, February 6th, the UHD Powerlifting Team successfully defended its WABDL National Collegiate Team Championship--its third consecutive national championship! The team achieved its victory over a particularly difficult opponent, UT San Antonio. The team's coach, John Hudson, who is an assistant professor of English and who requires all team members to maintain a 2.5 GPA in order to compete, exclaimed, "UTSA is a great team and they bring out the best in our lifters."
The UHD team received a perfect score! The Team Co-captain, Ilian Rojas, scored 165 points and 1st Place in the Bench Press, 1st Place in the Deadlift, and 1st Place Total! He was one of four students who joined me a few days prior to the tournament, when I spoke to the Kiwanis Club of Houston.
Rojas wore two national championship medals to the luncheon. A sophomore majoring in applied mathematics, he serves as a UHD Ambassador and works as personal trainer in the UHD Sports and Fitness Department. Ilian graduated from the Yes College Prep academy in Houston in 2008. He had never tried powerlifting until he came to UHD. Now he is a national champion with three team medals!
Another amazing student who joined us for the luncheon is Melissa Chan, a UHD Chemistry major. She already has an undergraduate degree, having graduated from CUNY's Hunter College with a triple major in German, Russian and Political Science. Ms. Chan works as an animal behavioral specialist at the SPCA in Houston.
Melissa has earned recognition for her undergraduate research in electro-chemical analysis and will present her work at the National Conference of Undergraduate Research in Montana later this year. Next year, she will earn dual degrees from UHD and the Technical University of Lodz in Poland. She plans to pursue a PhD in neuropharmacology in Germany.
Also joining us at the Kiwanis luncheon was Gaspar Gonzales, a full-time student in the Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts program with an emphasis in music. He serves as an intern to the administration of the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, where he will learn the business and marketing side of running a chamber orchestra. Gonzales works part-time as a music teacher at Stevenson Elementary School in the Heights.
Finally, there was Claudio Saenz, a junior in international business, who is a Microsoft Student Partner. He teaches students and staff on UH System universities about software and technology. The job allows him to connect with other students who are passionate about technology, marketing, and learning. Saenz works full-time at DI Central a business-to-business software company. With all of this, Saenz is a full-time student.
But, these are only a few of our Stars at UHD. Let me mention a few other amazing UHD students:
Diana Lopez won the bronze medal in the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Lopez and her brothers made history that year by being the first set of four siblings to represent the U.S. on the same Olympic Team, and for having three siblings win medals in the same sport. Ms. Lopez is a junior majoring in interdisciplinary studies.
Her book, “Family Power,” was co-authored with her brothers. It was released in late 2009 by Penguin Press and chronicles the hard work of the Lopez trio as they became 'America’s First Family of Tae Kwon Do.' She explains, “We do everything together. It made sense to write a book together.”
UHD also has world class salsa dancer. A business major at UHD, Vanessa Pinon, and her partner danced nearly flawlessly in Japan at the international salsa championships in Japan. They finished 11th, but qualified to dance in the World Championships in Miami later this year. Ms. Pinon will be dancing at UHD on Tuesday March 9th as part of the festivities of Investiture Week.
Abdul Jangda is a junior majoring in industrial chemistry at the University of Houston-Downtown. A student in the UHD Scholars Academy, Jangda's chemistry research centered on detecting metal particles in liquid by using special plastics capable of conducting electricity. He developed a special plastic polymer while working with UHD assistant professor of Chemistry, Mian Jiang.
Jangda presented his work at a recent Sigma Xi science research conference and received a superior rating. The judges commented that his work has many potential medical uses and appears to be relatively affordable. They believe a polymer with the right qualities could lower the cost of testing blood for sodium, potassium, glucose and other elements that doctors use to diagnose and treat patients.
That would be great wouldn't it? Reducing the price of medical tests could reduce the costs of medical care. Who knows, maybe one of these days a UHD student will tackle lowering the cost of health care insurance!
Each of these students are helping UHD to Make a Name for Itself. That's been our mantra this past year. We want everyone to know just how wonderful the University of Houston-Downtown really is. We want every to know the great things our students achieve.
I am truly impressed by the accomplishments of our UHD Gators. And, I am proud to be the president of their university.
I have previously mentioned the work of our Powerlifting Team that has won two national championships and our Model UN team that has gone on to win recognition in New York, Madrid, Paris, Mexico City, and Milan. But, our students just keep winning. We even have one student who is an Olympic medalist and has written a book about her experiences!
On Saturday, February 6th, the UHD Powerlifting Team successfully defended its WABDL National Collegiate Team Championship--its third consecutive national championship! The team achieved its victory over a particularly difficult opponent, UT San Antonio. The team's coach, John Hudson, who is an assistant professor of English and who requires all team members to maintain a 2.5 GPA in order to compete, exclaimed, "UTSA is a great team and they bring out the best in our lifters."
The UHD team received a perfect score! The Team Co-captain, Ilian Rojas, scored 165 points and 1st Place in the Bench Press, 1st Place in the Deadlift, and 1st Place Total! He was one of four students who joined me a few days prior to the tournament, when I spoke to the Kiwanis Club of Houston.
Rojas wore two national championship medals to the luncheon. A sophomore majoring in applied mathematics, he serves as a UHD Ambassador and works as personal trainer in the UHD Sports and Fitness Department. Ilian graduated from the Yes College Prep academy in Houston in 2008. He had never tried powerlifting until he came to UHD. Now he is a national champion with three team medals!
Another amazing student who joined us for the luncheon is Melissa Chan, a UHD Chemistry major. She already has an undergraduate degree, having graduated from CUNY's Hunter College with a triple major in German, Russian and Political Science. Ms. Chan works as an animal behavioral specialist at the SPCA in Houston.
Melissa has earned recognition for her undergraduate research in electro-chemical analysis and will present her work at the National Conference of Undergraduate Research in Montana later this year. Next year, she will earn dual degrees from UHD and the Technical University of Lodz in Poland. She plans to pursue a PhD in neuropharmacology in Germany.
Also joining us at the Kiwanis luncheon was Gaspar Gonzales, a full-time student in the Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts program with an emphasis in music. He serves as an intern to the administration of the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, where he will learn the business and marketing side of running a chamber orchestra. Gonzales works part-time as a music teacher at Stevenson Elementary School in the Heights.
Finally, there was Claudio Saenz, a junior in international business, who is a Microsoft Student Partner. He teaches students and staff on UH System universities about software and technology. The job allows him to connect with other students who are passionate about technology, marketing, and learning. Saenz works full-time at DI Central a business-to-business software company. With all of this, Saenz is a full-time student.
But, these are only a few of our Stars at UHD. Let me mention a few other amazing UHD students:
Diana Lopez won the bronze medal in the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Lopez and her brothers made history that year by being the first set of four siblings to represent the U.S. on the same Olympic Team, and for having three siblings win medals in the same sport. Ms. Lopez is a junior majoring in interdisciplinary studies.
Her book, “Family Power,” was co-authored with her brothers. It was released in late 2009 by Penguin Press and chronicles the hard work of the Lopez trio as they became 'America’s First Family of Tae Kwon Do.' She explains, “We do everything together. It made sense to write a book together.”
UHD also has world class salsa dancer. A business major at UHD, Vanessa Pinon, and her partner danced nearly flawlessly in Japan at the international salsa championships in Japan. They finished 11th, but qualified to dance in the World Championships in Miami later this year. Ms. Pinon will be dancing at UHD on Tuesday March 9th as part of the festivities of Investiture Week.
Abdul Jangda is a junior majoring in industrial chemistry at the University of Houston-Downtown. A student in the UHD Scholars Academy, Jangda's chemistry research centered on detecting metal particles in liquid by using special plastics capable of conducting electricity. He developed a special plastic polymer while working with UHD assistant professor of Chemistry, Mian Jiang.
Jangda presented his work at a recent Sigma Xi science research conference and received a superior rating. The judges commented that his work has many potential medical uses and appears to be relatively affordable. They believe a polymer with the right qualities could lower the cost of testing blood for sodium, potassium, glucose and other elements that doctors use to diagnose and treat patients.
That would be great wouldn't it? Reducing the price of medical tests could reduce the costs of medical care. Who knows, maybe one of these days a UHD student will tackle lowering the cost of health care insurance!
Each of these students are helping UHD to Make a Name for Itself. That's been our mantra this past year. We want everyone to know just how wonderful the University of Houston-Downtown really is. We want every to know the great things our students achieve.
I am truly impressed by the accomplishments of our UHD Gators. And, I am proud to be the president of their university.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Our Approach to Cutbacks: Tough Choices, Hopefully to Make Us Stronger
Making cuts are difficult for anyone, especially for a new president. They are particularly hard when you had hoped to recommend pay raises. In fact, that's just what we were prepared to do here at the University of Houston-Downtown. We had planned on giving a mid-year raise conditional on increased enrollments and growth in the economy. And, enrollments have gone up.
So, we were in the process of preparing our budget submissions for the UH System and to the UH System Board of Regents with a 2% merit increase, when we received notice from the Governor, Lt. Governor, and the Speaker of the House requiring all Texas public universities to prepare for a 5% rescission for each of the two years of the budget cycle. The budget reductions are necessary because of declining state revenues from sales tax and declining revenues from oil and natural gas (prices dropped dramatically, but are heading upwards again).
UHD must now prepare for budgets cuts of nearly $1.4 million for each of the two years in the biennium (a total of roughly $2.8 million). Add in the amount of money that came from stimulus funds, about $1.2 million (which will disappear in 2012), and we must prepare for various cuts which total about $4 million. That may not sound like a lot, but we depend on state appropriations to fund our basic operations.
Nor do we have much turnaround time. As a system, we have to submit our plans by February 15th. Campuses have to submit their plans to the UH System office even earlier. So, we are already putting together plans for the first round of cuts.
At this past Friday's Convocation with faculty and staff, I assured everyone that we will pursue and an open and inclusive process in making these decisions. While we will not be able to give pay raises this year, it is important that we undertake the reductions in a careful, reflective, and planned way, securing jobs as much as possible, and expanding services to our students so that we can continue our growth. UHD currently has just under 13,000 students and we are growing every year.
The new base period begins this summer. Enrollments achieved during the base period will drive funding for the upcoming FY 2012/2013 biennium. So, UHD will continue to grow its enrollments and we will qualify for more funding through state appropriations. We will hire new faculty and we will hire the staff we require to support student success. UHD is known for its small classes, for the attention students receive from faculty and staff, and for our focus on helping students succeed. That won't change. If anything, we intend to do an even better job of retaining and graduating students.
Also, we will do everything we can to provide pay raises next year. Going two years without pay increases damages faculty and staff morale. It would undercut our efforts to recruit top talent and hurt our ability to retain our highly committed and high-performing faculty and staff, who are the heart of UHD and who are critical to our success.
Our situation reminds me of comments by John F. Kennedy made in a speech in Indianapolis on April 12, 1959. JFK pointed out, that the Chinese character for the word 'crisis' (wei ji) contains two concepts. One represents 'danger,' while the other represents 'opportunity.' In times of great difficulty, whether severe crisis or simply difficult challenges, some recoil from fear of danger, while others prosper by pursuing opportunity.
At UHD, we will grow stronger, for we have a strong foundation to build upon. We have already begun a planning process to decide on areas of strength we want to expand. These discussions will guide us as we begin to make the tough decisions ahead.
We are not going to take across-the-board cuts. Rather, we will pin-point reductions. While cuts for the current year (FY2010) won't be easy, they should be relatively straight forward. We will use savings from lapsed or vacant positions, unallocated funds that would have been distributed later this year, along with the monies that would have gone to pay increases. That just about gets us to $1.4 million.
Reductions for FY2011 will be more challenging. This year enrollments are projected to grow over last year by about 4%, so we need to provide sufficient class sections, advisers, transcript evaluators, and support staff. Also, we are initiating classes in a new educational facility at the HP campus near Hwy. 249 northwest of Houston. The University Park, owned by Lone Star College System will house several universities, including UHD. We will begin classes there this summer and expand classes in the fall and spring.
Moreover, it is very important that we begin some of the initiatives identified through the planning process, particularly those that will help retain and graduate more students, ensuring that they receive the high-quality education for which UHD is known.
So, we actually need more money and more positions at the same time we will have less. This is a conundrum confronting many higher education institutions throughout the country. How you do provide more with less?
Clearly, we can't do it the same way we've done it in the past. We have to change our processes, find efficiencies, reduce low-enrolled courses, expand enrollments for some classes without affecting quality, provide more classes in the evenings and weekends, offer more online and hybrid courses, institute cost savings, etc. And, we will accomplish these reductions while also improving the quality of student learning.
We have decided to institute two approaches to help us decide on the budget reductions. First, I will appoint an Efficiencies and Budget Reductions Task Force composed of representatives from faculty, staff, and some students. I have already asked constituent groups to submit nominees. The Task Force won't have enough time to draft the Feb. 15th response to the Governor and the LLB. That will be developed by the vice presidents with me and shared broadly throughout the campus. Rather, the Task Force will review the budget, examine data on space and staff utilization, cost centers, expenditures per area relative to peers, etc. The Task Force will recommend short and long-term solutions that we can take as a university to reduce costs while also expanding services and pursuing new initiatives and priorities.
Secondly, we will ask employees to submit their suggestions for cost savings. We hope to receive many helpful recommendations. We will implement all those that reduce costs and strengthen the institution. The faculty or staff member who submits the idea which results in the most savings will be honored next year.
The U.S. economy will pick up and the state budget will improve. On Friday (Jan. 29), we learned that nationally the economy grew by 5.7% in the fourth quarter. This is the second quarter in a row that we have had some growth. The previous quarter the economy grew by 2.2%. So, we are seeing good signs.
The Dallas Fed predicts that by the end of 2010 Texas will have a net increase of 100,000 new jobs (over and above those lost during the recession). According to projections by the Greater Houston Partnership, Houston should complete the year with a net increase of 10,000 new jobs.
Houston is doing well and so is UHD. We may be making reductions, but we will use them to grow stronger. As we embark on the cuts, I suggested to our faculty and staff that we consider a basic principle from Jim Collin's book, Good to Great, which is that you must focus your resources for success. As anyone who has ever grown roses knows, you can't just let them grow unattended. To produce strong, healthy roses, you must prune the bushes from time-to-time.
That's what we will do. We will trim the bushes. And, I assure you, we will produce beautiful roses here at UHD. It is an opportunity to examine the institution and make improvements. And, we will grow stronger and better in the process.
So, we were in the process of preparing our budget submissions for the UH System and to the UH System Board of Regents with a 2% merit increase, when we received notice from the Governor, Lt. Governor, and the Speaker of the House requiring all Texas public universities to prepare for a 5% rescission for each of the two years of the budget cycle. The budget reductions are necessary because of declining state revenues from sales tax and declining revenues from oil and natural gas (prices dropped dramatically, but are heading upwards again).
UHD must now prepare for budgets cuts of nearly $1.4 million for each of the two years in the biennium (a total of roughly $2.8 million). Add in the amount of money that came from stimulus funds, about $1.2 million (which will disappear in 2012), and we must prepare for various cuts which total about $4 million. That may not sound like a lot, but we depend on state appropriations to fund our basic operations.
Nor do we have much turnaround time. As a system, we have to submit our plans by February 15th. Campuses have to submit their plans to the UH System office even earlier. So, we are already putting together plans for the first round of cuts.
At this past Friday's Convocation with faculty and staff, I assured everyone that we will pursue and an open and inclusive process in making these decisions. While we will not be able to give pay raises this year, it is important that we undertake the reductions in a careful, reflective, and planned way, securing jobs as much as possible, and expanding services to our students so that we can continue our growth. UHD currently has just under 13,000 students and we are growing every year.
The new base period begins this summer. Enrollments achieved during the base period will drive funding for the upcoming FY 2012/2013 biennium. So, UHD will continue to grow its enrollments and we will qualify for more funding through state appropriations. We will hire new faculty and we will hire the staff we require to support student success. UHD is known for its small classes, for the attention students receive from faculty and staff, and for our focus on helping students succeed. That won't change. If anything, we intend to do an even better job of retaining and graduating students.
Also, we will do everything we can to provide pay raises next year. Going two years without pay increases damages faculty and staff morale. It would undercut our efforts to recruit top talent and hurt our ability to retain our highly committed and high-performing faculty and staff, who are the heart of UHD and who are critical to our success.
Our situation reminds me of comments by John F. Kennedy made in a speech in Indianapolis on April 12, 1959. JFK pointed out, that the Chinese character for the word 'crisis' (wei ji) contains two concepts. One represents 'danger,' while the other represents 'opportunity.' In times of great difficulty, whether severe crisis or simply difficult challenges, some recoil from fear of danger, while others prosper by pursuing opportunity.
At UHD, we will grow stronger, for we have a strong foundation to build upon. We have already begun a planning process to decide on areas of strength we want to expand. These discussions will guide us as we begin to make the tough decisions ahead.
We are not going to take across-the-board cuts. Rather, we will pin-point reductions. While cuts for the current year (FY2010) won't be easy, they should be relatively straight forward. We will use savings from lapsed or vacant positions, unallocated funds that would have been distributed later this year, along with the monies that would have gone to pay increases. That just about gets us to $1.4 million.
Reductions for FY2011 will be more challenging. This year enrollments are projected to grow over last year by about 4%, so we need to provide sufficient class sections, advisers, transcript evaluators, and support staff. Also, we are initiating classes in a new educational facility at the HP campus near Hwy. 249 northwest of Houston. The University Park, owned by Lone Star College System will house several universities, including UHD. We will begin classes there this summer and expand classes in the fall and spring.
Moreover, it is very important that we begin some of the initiatives identified through the planning process, particularly those that will help retain and graduate more students, ensuring that they receive the high-quality education for which UHD is known.
So, we actually need more money and more positions at the same time we will have less. This is a conundrum confronting many higher education institutions throughout the country. How you do provide more with less?
Clearly, we can't do it the same way we've done it in the past. We have to change our processes, find efficiencies, reduce low-enrolled courses, expand enrollments for some classes without affecting quality, provide more classes in the evenings and weekends, offer more online and hybrid courses, institute cost savings, etc. And, we will accomplish these reductions while also improving the quality of student learning.
We have decided to institute two approaches to help us decide on the budget reductions. First, I will appoint an Efficiencies and Budget Reductions Task Force composed of representatives from faculty, staff, and some students. I have already asked constituent groups to submit nominees. The Task Force won't have enough time to draft the Feb. 15th response to the Governor and the LLB. That will be developed by the vice presidents with me and shared broadly throughout the campus. Rather, the Task Force will review the budget, examine data on space and staff utilization, cost centers, expenditures per area relative to peers, etc. The Task Force will recommend short and long-term solutions that we can take as a university to reduce costs while also expanding services and pursuing new initiatives and priorities.
Secondly, we will ask employees to submit their suggestions for cost savings. We hope to receive many helpful recommendations. We will implement all those that reduce costs and strengthen the institution. The faculty or staff member who submits the idea which results in the most savings will be honored next year.
The U.S. economy will pick up and the state budget will improve. On Friday (Jan. 29), we learned that nationally the economy grew by 5.7% in the fourth quarter. This is the second quarter in a row that we have had some growth. The previous quarter the economy grew by 2.2%. So, we are seeing good signs.
The Dallas Fed predicts that by the end of 2010 Texas will have a net increase of 100,000 new jobs (over and above those lost during the recession). According to projections by the Greater Houston Partnership, Houston should complete the year with a net increase of 10,000 new jobs.
Houston is doing well and so is UHD. We may be making reductions, but we will use them to grow stronger. As we embark on the cuts, I suggested to our faculty and staff that we consider a basic principle from Jim Collin's book, Good to Great, which is that you must focus your resources for success. As anyone who has ever grown roses knows, you can't just let them grow unattended. To produce strong, healthy roses, you must prune the bushes from time-to-time.
That's what we will do. We will trim the bushes. And, I assure you, we will produce beautiful roses here at UHD. It is an opportunity to examine the institution and make improvements. And, we will grow stronger and better in the process.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Commencement--A Magnificent Experience
Graduation ceremonies at any university are so much fun. But December graduation ceremony at the University of Houston-Downtown was especially impressive. Nearly 1,250 students, the largest single graduating class in the university's history, shook hands and crossed the stage to receive their diplomas.
So many parents and loved ones show up each semester that the university has to hold its graduation ceremonies at Minute Maid Park--where the Houston Astros play their games. The place was packed with between 15,000-20,000 parents, spouses, family, and friends in attendance. And, the flash from cameras filled the air.
The crowds began early Sunday morning with parents taking pictures, and students in cap and gown running from the parking the lot to line up. Parents hugged their students and students hugged their children or loved ones--parents, boyfriends, girlfriends, wives, husbands, brother and sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, neighbors and co-workers--all celebrating.
Any graduation is colorful and exciting: the multi-colored regalia, the march of the faculty and students to "Pomp and Circumstance," the shouts and joy of the students, and the happiness of the parents and loved ones fill the air. For students, it marks the end of courses, finals, and late-night study sessions. For parents and students alike, it means the end of those checks for tuition, fees, and books (at least, until the loans are due).
Because UHD's graduation ceremony takes place at Minute Maid Park, the parents can watch the students cross the stage on the large screens throughout the park. Some come with banners, noise-makers, and cheering sections. They scream when the name of the student is called or when the student crosses the stage.
Because these are first generation students and mainly working students, it is a big deal when they graduate. It is not uncommon to see extended families of 25 or more sit together--they come early, mark off seats, and fill the stands.
At this graduation ceremony the youngest student to receive their bachelor's diploma was 20 years old and the oldest was 63! The average age of the graduates was just over 30. There were students from nearly 30 countries--from Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. But, most were born and raised in the Houston area or in nearby cities in Texas. And, most were the first in their family to earn a college degree.
Like the name itself, "Commencement," the ceremony marks a new beginning--as students move to a new phase of life, entering the job market and seeking new careers. The stories of the students are quite impressive with many who overcame tremendous sacrifices and personal or family difficulties to make it through college.
UHD graduate Norvia Read gave the student address. She has earned a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies, with an emphasis in teaching. She spoke about the impact UHD has made in her community and the potential that every graduate holds. Despite a learning disability, Ms. Read persisted in education, ultimately succeeding.
Novia Read was among the first to enroll in the UHD/Lone Star College-Kingwood joint-admissions program for future teachers, which allows community college students to complete an associate degree from LSC-Kingwood and a bachelor's degree from UHD at the Kingwood campus. She completed her graduation requirements in August and is already working as a third grade teacher in the New Caney Independent School District.
Like Read, the vast majority of UHD students already have some job and are seeking a bachelor's or master's degree for a better job or a more secure career. When I asked, "how many the graduates worked 30 hours or more while going to college?", nearly the entire graduating class stood up.
But, a lot of students and quite a few parents are worried about the prospects for jobs in the future. As one graduating student told me, "It's a bit terrifying, to be graduating in this economy. There are so few jobs for students to take. I just hope I can find a job."
This is a natural concern, after all, they are entering an economy that is showing signs of life--but still losing jobs. Nationally, many students will postpone the search for new jobs by entering graduate school or by taking a year off to travel, volunteer with a community organization, or work as low-paid (or even unpaid) interns to build up their resume.
Houston, at least, is better off than most cities in the country and Texas is better off than the majority of states. Even so, Houston's economy is flat. According to projections by the Greater Houston Partnership, job losses in Houston will continue into 2010, with slight gains by the summer and a net gain for 2010 of only 1200 new jobs. So, the economy will be tight for a while.
But, there is great hope from these students. Some will move into graduate programs. Many will become teachers or social workers or doctors. Others will use their diploma to move up the career ladder with companies where they are currently employed.
There was also optimism at the ceremony. As one new graduate told me, "The economy will turn around. I plan to start my own business. Who knows, maybe I'll hire some of these graduates one day."
Good luck to all of you and congratulations!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
"Don't Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste"--Building an Entrepreneurial University
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel likes to say, “You don’t ever want a crisis to go to waste; it’s an opportunity to do important things that you would otherwise avoid.” This outlook has become the mantra of the Obama Administration. But, it is also good advice for universities.
Michael Maddock and Raphael Louis Vitón wrote in Business Week that while big business hunkered down during the recession by hoarding cash, canceling projects, and laying off staff, by contrast, entrepreneurs began new ventures with new business models--and several paid off. They urge us to learn from entrepreneurs, scrap our old business plan, and develop new business models for a very different economic reality.
The advice is good for colleges and universities, as well. But, how does a public university become entrepreneurial? After all, we have to deal with state regs, system rules, coordinating boards, accreditation, legislators, alumni and, of course, you have to build broad participation and support from faculty and staff.
John Walda, president and CEO of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), noted that the 'new normal' is likely to mean reduced levels of state support for higher education institutions in coming years. Wanda noted that several economists now view the recession as a 'square root sign,' where it dips sharply and moves upwards but then is flat below the old normal. Others view it as a very slowly rise U with a long flat-line.
Several economists feel that it may be 5 to 10 years before state revenues are back to where they were prior to the recession. Wanda points to data showing net declines in state revenue for the past two years of roughly $350 billion. He noted that several public universities received less state funding in 2009 than they received a decade earlier.
Like Rahm Emanuel, Wanda suggests that universities take advantage of the crisis to radically change their business model, reduce costs, find new efficiencies, strengthen the organization, and develop new strategies for the 'new reality.'
Barbara Mackoff (author of Leadership as a Habit of Mind) urged university presidents to understand the chaos we face today is an opportunity for a 'productive disequilibrium,' one that changes the way universities look at reality, alter their organizational culture, and radically change their organizational behavior. She urged presidents to 'come out of hell with something'--that is, not only surviving, but growing stronger.
Universities that move quickly to an entrepreneurial model and are proactive may avoid many of the deep cuts faced by universities in other states. Entrepreneurial universities must first focus on who they are, and be clear on their mission and vision. Together with faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders they need to develop strategic priorities with clear plans and metrics to evaluate progress. And, they must be willing to find efficiencies and make cuts within their organization, re-adjusting to the 'new reality.'
Here are some of the other characteristics which I think are important for entrepreneurial universities. They need to be:
1) nimble and strategic--developing new degree programs and certificates based on changing needs of the market and with close advice from and consultation with industry--and, yet, strategic by aligning their budget to strategic priorities;
2) responsive to student needs--changing how they offer courses, including when, where, and how students receive those courses--whether that be at night, on weekends, at distant learning sites, on shortened schedules (one night a week or concentrated over a three-week period including weekends), or through hybrid, online, etc.;
3) future-oriented--developing and teaching courses based on competencies students will need now and in the future and by developing new degrees and majors geared to future industries and the global economy;
4) engaged--they address the problems of the society and of their university service area, build strong partnerships, engage students and faculty in learning and research that contributes to addressing societal needs, and build strong ties with and seek support from donors, alumni, industry, legislators, city and states government, federal agencies, and other friends;
5) aggressive and cooperative they identify and expand into new new markets, find distinctive niches, seek out new revenue streams, and build their university's brand--yet, they also, build partnerships, work in consortia, and leverage resources with other institutions.
UHD is still in the process of developing our goals and our vision for the future. But, we are becoming more entrepreneurial. We are reviewing our programs, reviewing how we conduct our business, and we are identifying areas where we can be more efficient. The process will take time, as we engage more of the faculty and staff in these discussions. But, our path is clear, we will grow stronger and be a better university.
Michael Maddock and Raphael Louis Vitón wrote in Business Week that while big business hunkered down during the recession by hoarding cash, canceling projects, and laying off staff, by contrast, entrepreneurs began new ventures with new business models--and several paid off. They urge us to learn from entrepreneurs, scrap our old business plan, and develop new business models for a very different economic reality.
The advice is good for colleges and universities, as well. But, how does a public university become entrepreneurial? After all, we have to deal with state regs, system rules, coordinating boards, accreditation, legislators, alumni and, of course, you have to build broad participation and support from faculty and staff.
John Walda, president and CEO of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), noted that the 'new normal' is likely to mean reduced levels of state support for higher education institutions in coming years. Wanda noted that several economists now view the recession as a 'square root sign,' where it dips sharply and moves upwards but then is flat below the old normal. Others view it as a very slowly rise U with a long flat-line.
Several economists feel that it may be 5 to 10 years before state revenues are back to where they were prior to the recession. Wanda points to data showing net declines in state revenue for the past two years of roughly $350 billion. He noted that several public universities received less state funding in 2009 than they received a decade earlier.
Like Rahm Emanuel, Wanda suggests that universities take advantage of the crisis to radically change their business model, reduce costs, find new efficiencies, strengthen the organization, and develop new strategies for the 'new reality.'
Barbara Mackoff (author of Leadership as a Habit of Mind) urged university presidents to understand the chaos we face today is an opportunity for a 'productive disequilibrium,' one that changes the way universities look at reality, alter their organizational culture, and radically change their organizational behavior. She urged presidents to 'come out of hell with something'--that is, not only surviving, but growing stronger.
Universities that move quickly to an entrepreneurial model and are proactive may avoid many of the deep cuts faced by universities in other states. Entrepreneurial universities must first focus on who they are, and be clear on their mission and vision. Together with faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders they need to develop strategic priorities with clear plans and metrics to evaluate progress. And, they must be willing to find efficiencies and make cuts within their organization, re-adjusting to the 'new reality.'
Here are some of the other characteristics which I think are important for entrepreneurial universities. They need to be:
1) nimble and strategic--developing new degree programs and certificates based on changing needs of the market and with close advice from and consultation with industry--and, yet, strategic by aligning their budget to strategic priorities;
2) responsive to student needs--changing how they offer courses, including when, where, and how students receive those courses--whether that be at night, on weekends, at distant learning sites, on shortened schedules (one night a week or concentrated over a three-week period including weekends), or through hybrid, online, etc.;
3) future-oriented--developing and teaching courses based on competencies students will need now and in the future and by developing new degrees and majors geared to future industries and the global economy;
4) engaged--they address the problems of the society and of their university service area, build strong partnerships, engage students and faculty in learning and research that contributes to addressing societal needs, and build strong ties with and seek support from donors, alumni, industry, legislators, city and states government, federal agencies, and other friends;
5) aggressive and cooperative they identify and expand into new new markets, find distinctive niches, seek out new revenue streams, and build their university's brand--yet, they also, build partnerships, work in consortia, and leverage resources with other institutions.
UHD is still in the process of developing our goals and our vision for the future. But, we are becoming more entrepreneurial. We are reviewing our programs, reviewing how we conduct our business, and we are identifying areas where we can be more efficient. The process will take time, as we engage more of the faculty and staff in these discussions. But, our path is clear, we will grow stronger and be a better university.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Surviving Turbulent Times and the 'New Normal'
These are frustrating times for public universities. We've all seen the headlines of the fiscal problems confronting California and several other states. The Pew Center for the States recently released a report listing ten states that are in crisis. Joining California on this list are Florida, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Oregon, Rhode Island, and New Jersey--mostly states devastated by the real estate crisis and the decline of industries critical to their state or region.
But the truth is that every state is facing large budget deficits--many public universities have already taken large percentage cuts in state funding, resulting in higher tuition, furloughs, layoffs, and reduced access to higher education for many students. And, it is not likely to get better soon.
At the recent American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), presidents of public universities shared their situations. Several spoke openly about their fear that their states face huge deficits in 2012, when stimulus dollars disappear. Most states used stimulus dollars to shore up shortfalls in medical care, public education, and higher education. But, those monies end in 2012 and, unless state revenues pick up, huge cuts loom on the horizon.
At AASCU, the President of U.T. San Antonio, Ricardo Romo, underscored the problem for Texas, where the combined effects of declining tax revenue and the budget shortfall offset by stimulus dollars nears $16 billion. But, as he advised, "we have to plan now to address the shortfalls."
At the AASCU Conference, former university presidents, John Moore and David McFarland, spoke of "Leading in Turbulent Times," which they described as the "New Reality." They urged presidents to remain calm and to temper the cuts with long-term planning. Turbulent times, according to Moore, require leaders to "think and act strategically."
McFarland cautioned presidents to avoid across-the-board reductions, but rather to "align" budgets with strategic priorities and to make cuts which improve efficiencies, while growing areas that expand and diversify resources: enrollment management (recruitment and retention of students), fundraising, and sponsored research.
At this week's TIAA-CREF Institute's Higher Leadership Conference, David Gergen (former White House advisor and CNN senior political analyst) calls this situation, "the New Normal," as states are being squeezed to support essential public services with diminishing revenues. He advises higher education leaders to "get used to it" and to "rapidly adjust."
Like many institutions the University of Houston System has held off on pay raises, began to make selective budget cuts, and is considering tuition and fee increases. At UHD, we are being proactive. The planning process is providing focus for our institution. We are still planning a mid-year salary increase, assuming we continue our enrollment growth this next semester, and we are working hard to find efficiencies.
UHD is working on long-term goals and plans for the institution, for example, strengthening strategic partnerships with P-12, community colleges, charter schools, and community-based organizations; increasing our research with joint projects with the UH system and by increasing funded research; developing stronger ties with the business community, including creating new degrees that are tied to the needs of Houston and its economy; and building stronger relationships with our alumni, supporters, and friends--which will help our fundraising.
Critical to our plans is the need to improve student retention and graduation rates. Anything we do must always keep that prime mission in mind. In the budgeting process for this year we have decided to focus on recruiting new students and retaining and graduating the students that we already have.
A committee in Academic Affairs is reviewing the success of several intervention and support programs. Most of these are currently funded by foundation grants, some have been reduced when the grants ended. Based on funding available, we will try to fund several of these programs with base dollars, because they are critical to student success.
Departments and colleges are developing five-year plans for new degree programs and goals for their departments. We will also hire more faculty and staff in critical areas of need to support student success. To meet expanding student demand and to expand access we will work closely with community colleges to increase transfers; we will improve and accelerate the review of transcripts and articulation plans; and we will expand to other areas through distance education with hybrid and online courses, as well as being more effective in developing learning centers (such as the University Center at 249 where we will begin to offer courses this summer).
These are difficult times for higher education, but we must respond. America requires new college graduates in every industry. It needs more teachers, more scientists, more social workers, and future leaders of business and government. And, it needs a highly trained, diverse work force. At UHD we are building our plans and our university to respond to those needs. And, I am confident that we will grow stronger in the process.
But the truth is that every state is facing large budget deficits--many public universities have already taken large percentage cuts in state funding, resulting in higher tuition, furloughs, layoffs, and reduced access to higher education for many students. And, it is not likely to get better soon.
At the recent American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), presidents of public universities shared their situations. Several spoke openly about their fear that their states face huge deficits in 2012, when stimulus dollars disappear. Most states used stimulus dollars to shore up shortfalls in medical care, public education, and higher education. But, those monies end in 2012 and, unless state revenues pick up, huge cuts loom on the horizon.
At AASCU, the President of U.T. San Antonio, Ricardo Romo, underscored the problem for Texas, where the combined effects of declining tax revenue and the budget shortfall offset by stimulus dollars nears $16 billion. But, as he advised, "we have to plan now to address the shortfalls."
At the AASCU Conference, former university presidents, John Moore and David McFarland, spoke of "Leading in Turbulent Times," which they described as the "New Reality." They urged presidents to remain calm and to temper the cuts with long-term planning. Turbulent times, according to Moore, require leaders to "think and act strategically."
McFarland cautioned presidents to avoid across-the-board reductions, but rather to "align" budgets with strategic priorities and to make cuts which improve efficiencies, while growing areas that expand and diversify resources: enrollment management (recruitment and retention of students), fundraising, and sponsored research.
At this week's TIAA-CREF Institute's Higher Leadership Conference, David Gergen (former White House advisor and CNN senior political analyst) calls this situation, "the New Normal," as states are being squeezed to support essential public services with diminishing revenues. He advises higher education leaders to "get used to it" and to "rapidly adjust."
Like many institutions the University of Houston System has held off on pay raises, began to make selective budget cuts, and is considering tuition and fee increases. At UHD, we are being proactive. The planning process is providing focus for our institution. We are still planning a mid-year salary increase, assuming we continue our enrollment growth this next semester, and we are working hard to find efficiencies.
UHD is working on long-term goals and plans for the institution, for example, strengthening strategic partnerships with P-12, community colleges, charter schools, and community-based organizations; increasing our research with joint projects with the UH system and by increasing funded research; developing stronger ties with the business community, including creating new degrees that are tied to the needs of Houston and its economy; and building stronger relationships with our alumni, supporters, and friends--which will help our fundraising.
Critical to our plans is the need to improve student retention and graduation rates. Anything we do must always keep that prime mission in mind. In the budgeting process for this year we have decided to focus on recruiting new students and retaining and graduating the students that we already have.
A committee in Academic Affairs is reviewing the success of several intervention and support programs. Most of these are currently funded by foundation grants, some have been reduced when the grants ended. Based on funding available, we will try to fund several of these programs with base dollars, because they are critical to student success.
Departments and colleges are developing five-year plans for new degree programs and goals for their departments. We will also hire more faculty and staff in critical areas of need to support student success. To meet expanding student demand and to expand access we will work closely with community colleges to increase transfers; we will improve and accelerate the review of transcripts and articulation plans; and we will expand to other areas through distance education with hybrid and online courses, as well as being more effective in developing learning centers (such as the University Center at 249 where we will begin to offer courses this summer).
These are difficult times for higher education, but we must respond. America requires new college graduates in every industry. It needs more teachers, more scientists, more social workers, and future leaders of business and government. And, it needs a highly trained, diverse work force. At UHD we are building our plans and our university to respond to those needs. And, I am confident that we will grow stronger in the process.
Monday, November 2, 2009
At the HACU Conference--Serving Hispanic Students
This week I attended the 23rd Annual Conference of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). I've been going to HACU conferences off and on for two decades.
At the Business meeting Sunday afternoon, I was elected to the Governing Board of HACU. This is a great honor, as I was nominated and elected to the position by fellow presidents.
HACU was formed to represent the interests of Hispanic Serving Institutions. At Monday's lunch, HACU recognized Dr. Max Castillo, former president of UHD, for his many years of service to HACU. He was also one of its founding members. HACU has grown to be one of the major higher education organizations in the nation. It now has 225 member universities (to be a member requires that at least 25% of student enrollment is Hispanic), over 100 associate members (colleges and universities with less than 25% Hispanic student enrollment), 49 international member universities, 57 corporate and agency partners, and 23 Hispanic Serving School Districts.
The U.S. Dept. of Education (USDE) provides special federal funding to eligible HSIs, and most federal agencies (such as USDA, DOI, DOE, and DOD) provide paid internship opportunities, co-ops, and specially-designated grants for HSIs. HACU has the largest internship program in the country. This year 680 interns will be placed with government agencies and corporate partners. HACU helped obtain funding for special programs, such as, Title V funding to support HSIs, including a new program which helps HSIs fund start-up costs for new graduate degree programs, especially in health care and STEM fields.
UHD is the only HSI in the UHD system. This is important because the University of Houston-Downtown is eligible for designated HSI grants or can be the lead organization in multi-university grants because of its HSI status. We are currently working with the UH System and the Vice Chancellor for Research to develop several multi-institutional grants with UHD as the lead partner.
The HACU annual meeting provides an important opportunity for colleges and universities to learn best practices, share experiences, network, and partner with corporate sponsors. During my trip I quickly reconnected with many old friends from New Mexico, California, New York, and Texas, as well as presidents, provosts, and deans from other institutions. I attended several workshops on recruitment, K-12 partnerships, work with first generation students, and STEM students. I also made contacts with several corporate sponsors that will be helpful to UHD.
In Spring 2010, UHD will host "HACU on the Road," where HACU representatives will come to Houston to showcase its work and programs. UHD will partner with local school districts, community colleges, four-year institutions, and CBOs like Houston Prep and Project Grad Houston, among others to host HACU.
HACU is a great organization and it's wonderful to be a member.
At the Business meeting Sunday afternoon, I was elected to the Governing Board of HACU. This is a great honor, as I was nominated and elected to the position by fellow presidents.
HACU was formed to represent the interests of Hispanic Serving Institutions. At Monday's lunch, HACU recognized Dr. Max Castillo, former president of UHD, for his many years of service to HACU. He was also one of its founding members. HACU has grown to be one of the major higher education organizations in the nation. It now has 225 member universities (to be a member requires that at least 25% of student enrollment is Hispanic), over 100 associate members (colleges and universities with less than 25% Hispanic student enrollment), 49 international member universities, 57 corporate and agency partners, and 23 Hispanic Serving School Districts.
The U.S. Dept. of Education (USDE) provides special federal funding to eligible HSIs, and most federal agencies (such as USDA, DOI, DOE, and DOD) provide paid internship opportunities, co-ops, and specially-designated grants for HSIs. HACU has the largest internship program in the country. This year 680 interns will be placed with government agencies and corporate partners. HACU helped obtain funding for special programs, such as, Title V funding to support HSIs, including a new program which helps HSIs fund start-up costs for new graduate degree programs, especially in health care and STEM fields.
UHD is the only HSI in the UHD system. This is important because the University of Houston-Downtown is eligible for designated HSI grants or can be the lead organization in multi-university grants because of its HSI status. We are currently working with the UH System and the Vice Chancellor for Research to develop several multi-institutional grants with UHD as the lead partner.
The HACU annual meeting provides an important opportunity for colleges and universities to learn best practices, share experiences, network, and partner with corporate sponsors. During my trip I quickly reconnected with many old friends from New Mexico, California, New York, and Texas, as well as presidents, provosts, and deans from other institutions. I attended several workshops on recruitment, K-12 partnerships, work with first generation students, and STEM students. I also made contacts with several corporate sponsors that will be helpful to UHD.
In Spring 2010, UHD will host "HACU on the Road," where HACU representatives will come to Houston to showcase its work and programs. UHD will partner with local school districts, community colleges, four-year institutions, and CBOs like Houston Prep and Project Grad Houston, among others to host HACU.
HACU is a great organization and it's wonderful to be a member.
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