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President's Periodic Messages 2007-2008
January 16, 2008
An Update from President Hudson:
Welcome back everyone to what is shaping up as one of our busiest semesters ever. Enrollment is robust, currently standing at 2,850 headcount and 21,464 SCHs, or about
9% over last spring. This growth, as I and others have said many times, is helping to enhance our quality by providing us the resources we need to engage in program development and to adequately compensate our staff and faculty – thus cutting down on unwanted turnover.
I understand that registration through the PeopleSoft system went much more smoothly for spring enrollment than it did this past fall when we had our first “experience” with the new system. I know that this is largely due to everyone involved with registration working together to make the process easier for our students. For instance, student calls were handled by Student and Academic Services, leaving Admissions and Financial Aid more time to focus on processing applications and enrolling students. So, kudos to our staff on a job well done. Soon Chari Norgard tells me that
we will implement a “one stop shop” for our students, so that any information a student needs for application and enrollment can be accessed in one location.
As you may recall during the last legislative session we received approval of almost $7 million in Tuition Revenue Bonds to construct a Regional Economic Development Center in Victoria. In addition, Mr. Beran spearheaded a successful grant initiative that netted an additional $800,000 for the project from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration. Last week five architectural firms were invited to make comprehensive presentations on the building to a UHS/local committee. The committee, under Wayne’s guidance, will now prioritize the five firms and forward these to the UH System administration for a final choice.
The Student Senate will hold its first meeting on January 16th and we want to welcome these student senators and all students back to UHV. We appreciate the initiative and leadership of this group. They will play an instrumental roll in making our students aware of nomination process for our next student regent.
Serving as the student regent on the UHS Board of Regents is a great leadership opportunity. It would be wonderful if one of our UHV students was selected.
We are looking forward to Chancellor Khator’s visit to Victoria on February 1.
She will arrive about 9:30 a.m. and stay until 1:30 or 2:00 p.m. Dr. Rice is currently working with Dr. Khator’s staff on the agenda for her visit. It will include time for her to visit with cabinet, the staff council, the faculty senate and the student senate. These visits will be followed by a community “meet and greet.” Although her first visit will be short, we want it to be a productive time during which she gains an understanding of the ability and potential of UHV. My earlier conversations with her have been productive and promising.
Many of you will know by now that Dr. Hartshorn has submitted her resignation as Director of the Nursing program to focus on full time consulting. UHV will benefit from her consulting expertise as she works with me to develop allied health programs for UHV throughout the spring and summer.
I want to thank Dr. Hartshorn for her outstanding work in getting our nursing program started – she undertook a tremendous challenge and led us all forward with great enthusiasm and professionalism. Until a new director is hired, Denise Neill will oversee the nursing program in Victoria and Linda Dune will oversee the program in Sugar Land. In other news on the nursing scene
we have now received approval for our School of Nursing, UHV’s fourth. In addition, we anticipate that our master’s in nursing degree will begin this summer. I thank all who have worked hard to make these milestones happen.
Late last week we had an outstanding cabinet retreat in what has become our traditional retreat location, Rockport. Each cabinet member in attendance anonymously submitted a five-year vision statement for UHV prior to the retreat. These were read on Thursday afternoon and, not surprisingly, common themes included student growth, program growth, quality enhancements, becoming a comprehensive university, the Ft. Bend teaching centers, and developing athletics to include more sports. Friday morning was spent discussing strategies that could help us achieve the common themes that emerged in the visioning process. As in years past, this time together resulted in renewed commitment to our goal of becoming a university of choice and adding value to the degrees our students earn with us. I want to thank all cabinet members for their “robust” involvement in the retreat – and the City of Rockport has expressed its appreciation for our ongoing contributions to its cultural enrichment (Karaoke is cultural, right?) and economic development (What-a-Burger is expanding its night shift) plans. Dr. Margaret Rice deserves appreciation for organizing the retreat and tolerating (and resisting) all of the special requests from participants.
An article in the January 11 Chronicle of Higher Education reiterates an issue that is always on my mind and that I believe universities currently need to be addressing. Entitled,
“What Colleges Must Do to Keep the Public’s Good Will,” the article notes that surveys indicate the majority of the public still have favorable attitudes toward higher education, in contrast to their opinions of K-12; however, higher education is beginning to be scrutinized in similar fashion to K-12, which resulted in policies that many see as limiting rather than furthering education, with much time, money and effort spent on assessment and regulatory measures rather than learning.
Many leaders, including the U.S. Secretary of Education (re: Spellings Report) are calling for greater transparency and accountability from institutions of higher education.
One way that higher education can keep the public trust and avoid unnecessary regulations is to be proactive in addressing the public’s concerns, crafting measures that clearly show the benefits of higher education and reflect accountability for resources and student results. I know that we are committed to this process at UHV and we want to be intentional in our efforts to provide access to high quality higher education for our citizens.
Also, let me welcome Salome Chaverria our visiting professor of Spanish – bienvenidos. Salome comes to us from our partner in Cuernavaca, Mexico, Universidad Internacional, and will be teaching Spanish in Victoria and Sugar Land all semester. I hope that you will take time to include her in your many events and activities and to make her feel welcome at UHV. She is the vanguard of what could be a constant stream of such visitors who will no doubt enrich our community.
Finally, I know that many of you have seen the Chamber of Commerce’s survey to its members on the matter of UHV’s potential downward expansion. I am told that the results of this survey will be available later this month (about the time the JAGUARS take the field – don’t forget!). When I have them in hand, I will pass them along.
Sincerely,
Tim Hudson, Ph.D.
“If the traveler is to describe the highest pinnacles of our globe, the nature of the greatest river, or the winding paths of the Andes, he risks the danger of tiring his reader through his unvaried expressions of wonder.”
Alexander von Humboldt, 1801
“Readers are suckers for happy endings.”
Jeffrey Di Leo, American Book Review, 2008
"Quien todo lo quiere todo lo pierde"
Traditional Spanish dicho
Full cabinet minutes are posted at
www.uhv.edu/president/cabinet.asp
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