Our strategic planning process continued today with meetings from three critical groups: steering committee members, stakeholders and the Katy Task Force. The members present did not represent their entire group/committee.

At each meeting, Judy explained the strategic planning process for our group, which included:

• Environmental Scan
  • Research (political, economic, social, technological)
  • SWOT analysis
• Vision, Mission, Values
• Strategic Goals
  • Facts/Implications/Imperatives
• Strategic Initiatives
• Metrics
• Execution (implementation)
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Revision

The mission of the University of Houston is to offer nationally competitive and internationally recognized opportunities for learning, discovery and engagement to a diverse population of students in a real-world setting. The University of Houston offers a full range of degree programs at the baccalaureate, master's, doctoral and professional levels and pursues a broad agenda of research and creative activities. As a knowledge resource to the public, the university builds partnerships with other educational institutions, community organizations, government agencies, and the private sector to serve the region and impact the world.

April 10, 2019 9 a.m. - Katy Strategic Planning Steering Committee

Meeting Notes

Judy explained the strategic planning process for our group and presented the UH mission statement.

She told the group our efforts would not include writing another mission statement as the University of Houston at Katy is UH. We would, however, writing a defining statement, which would begin with words to describe UH at Katy. The group offered:

• Ambitious
• Responding to a need (Jay: this should drive the conversation. The business community came to us.)
• Partnerships (Dick: we are committed to doing everything in partnership, for example, with HCC. Bringing programs that support the region’s workforce. Nursing and engineering are examples of this because of the research done by state legislators who are from the Katy area.)
• Opportunistic
• UHV (presence) the system campus
  • This will be part of the discussion. How do we define Katy
• Growth

Strengths:

• Reputation of UH colleges on the Katy campus
• Convenience, cost, location
• Research opportunities for undergraduates (Joel: most of his professors are from research/industry.)
• Scholarships
• New-ness (Dick: community support of UH efforts in Katy includes state representatives carrying our message to Austin. Political support of the area is uniquely strong—state comptroller, former state rep, mayor, West Houston Association, EDC, Chamber)
• Partnerships with Community Colleges (HCC, Lone Star)

Weaknesses:

• Financial resources
• Not offering lower level classes (freshman and sophomore. Strength to cost, though.)
• System campus rather than an extension of UH
• Misperceptions
• Brand confusion Competition vs. Compliment (with UHV)
• Operational challenges (tensions)

Opportunities:

• Growth (connect workforce pipeline to our graduates)
• Partnerships (particularly those that connect to high schools)
• Partnerships with HCC (Engineering Academy)
  • Joel: UHin4 opportunities?

Threats:

• Competition for resources
• Brand confusion
• Encroachment of other universities (UT and A&M)
• No lower level classes

April 10, 2019 10:30 a.m. - Stakeholders

Meeting Notes

Jay read the UH Mission statement to the group and explained how our efforts will yield a defining statement that supports the UH mission.

Jay explained the UH System, how the four institutes are different and where UH at Katy fits into the system.

Judy explained the strategic planning process for our group.

She asked the group to begin with words to describe UH at Katy. The group offered:

• Growth (Brawner: Katy is experiencing growth in diversity, population, employment, economics, income levels and professional opportunities. For example, nursing and engineering are among the needs.)
• Diversity (Cazilda: there is a diversity in culture and economics and opportunities for expanded education—not just a four-year degree, but two year, certificate.
• Location is ideal
• Partnerships with two-year programs to help students after high school
  • Hughes: there is a need for more technical school options for students not pursuing college.
  • McCord: there also is a need for programs for nursing specialties such as pediatric care, cancer care. People want to have this kind of care in their own communities as opposed to driving all the way into the medical center.

Strengths:

• Partnerships with school districts and hospitals
• Partnerships with businesses/oil and energy companies
• UH Brand
• UH reputation
• UH alumni strength
• Location (because of growth opportunities. The campus is located in the greater Katy area)
• Access to UH (a Tier One research university)
• Educational opportunities in many areas and opportunities to expand
• Attitude to continue educational pathways
• Cost
• Safety
• Great value (USNWR)

Weaknesses:

• Competition with other Texas colleges
  • UH programs not as well known
• Communication of what is offered here
• Name recognition is not there
• No opportunities for parents/students to see or walk through anything/connect with UH
• Not seen as a viable or first option for students

Opportunities:

• Partnerships/internships with business
• Partnerships with alumni association
• Recruiting opportunities
  • To secure mentoring opportunities with professors and high school students (similar to what KISD is doing with its technical center)
  • Offer summer programs to let high school students connect with college experience
  • Connecting with high schools/district
• Hughes: there is a shortage of paramedics in Texas. Program/school to address this.
• McCord: there also is a shortage of nurses making any program a great opportunity

Threats:

• Funding (for facilities and equipment)
• Competition, encroachment from other universities
• Governmental impact (regulations such as environmental that may limit what kind of research is offered)
• Not recognizing what is coming in the future
• Losing touch with community (losing support of the community) and industry needs
• Not staying ahead of the curve
• Not utilizing big data

April 10, 2019 1:30 p.m. - Task Force Members

Meeting Notes

Judy explained the strategic planning process for our group and presented the UH mission statement.

She told the group our efforts would not include writing another mission statement as the University of Houston at Katy is UH. We would, however, writing a defining statement, which would begin with words to describe UH at Katy. The group offered:

• Industry relevant programs (Rao: relevant to the energy corridor)
• Graduate/undergraduate nursing education to Katy
• Community engagement
• Research relevant to the community
• UH and UHV add degree completion opportunities in a wide variety of fields
• Outreach efforts of UH
• Location of UH
• Partnerships
• Responding to business/industry/community needs in Katy

Strengths:

• College of engineering recruits heavily from the Katy region
• Partnership with HCC/ Engineering Academy
• Good relationship with KISD, HCC, UH>>pipeline (or one that can be created)
• Growing and vibrant community
• Starting with a clean slate
• Very connected building (breakdown geographic boundaries)
• Location (10/99) makes the campus very accessible
• 3M people within 30-minutes
• Brand strength
• Being in the energy corridor
• Welcoming environment from the community, political entities
• Uniquely positioned to influence legislature
• Perceived safety

Weaknesses:

• Program awareness
• Financial resources to maximize opportunities
• Lack of philanthropic opportunities in Katy (unlike Sugar Land)
  • Tart: we need to connect to the mission statements of area corporations
• Marketing
• Location is also a weakness
• Scholarship opportunities at junior and senior level of study
• Policies, procedures, practices that need to change
• Technical variations because of varying technology standards (UH v UHV v HCC)
• Brand confusion
• HCC/UH have centralized staffing presenting operational challenges

Opportunities:

• Nursing shortage
• Engineer shortage
  • Opportunities for new innovative program
• Clear pathways for 9-16 students
• Leveraging partnerships (industry)
• Grow online offerings thanks to technology (particularly in engineering)
• Friendraising
• Growth in enrollment, new programs
• Leveraging opportunities with HCC (share plans/resources where able)
• UH/HCC engineering academy
• Seamless articulation
• Fundraising
• P3 (public, private partnerships)

Threats:

• Marketing confusion
• Future funding (assurances of it)
• Safety (Clery Act reporting?)
• Financial aid/enrollment processes for all institutes HCC, UHV, UH
• Transportation (Shuttle)
• Misperception of the quality of programs
• Growth of competitive programs
• Declining number of high school graduates nationally
  • In Texas, the number of high school graduates pursing higher ed is declining
• Federal regulations
  • Loss of focus on funding to ensure all phases of building construction are complete
• Scholarship resources (lack of adequate monies to meet recruiting goals)

Conclusions:

• This is a big deal
• We could compromise ourselves by thinking too small
• Still a lot of loose ends to figure out
• One time to make a good impression
• Once in a lifetime opportunity
• Feel very supported
• Constant communication is essential
• UH should continue to build

April 11, 2019 10 a.m. - Faculty & Staff

Meeting Notes

Jay explained what SWOT groups participated in the strategic planning activity the day before.

Judy explained the strategic planning process for our group and presented the UH mission statement.

She told the group our efforts would not include writing another mission statement as the University of Houston at Katy is UH. We would, however, writing a defining statement, which would begin with words to describe UH at Katy. The group offered:

• Beneficial location (energy corridor)
• Growing suburban area
• High achieving students/students who also are professionals
• Pipeline to workforce
• Industry connection
• Innovative
• Blank slate

Strengths:

• Expertise (faculty/staff/leadership)
• Technology
• Innovative
• Reputation
• Brand
• Start up
• facilitate established classes to more students
• quality of students in K-12
  • working with HCC (engineering academy)
  • Jay: UH coming to Katy strengthens education focus
• Commitment
• Job opportunity (nursing/engineering)
  • Workforce in engineering spins off new business
• UH is responding to industry needs, not a political decision
• Growth opportunity with a new campus
• Proximity to two strong community colleges

Weaknesses:

• Lack of experience with system campus processes
• Diluted efforts because one person will be working multiple institution projects
• Innovation (McKee: logistically from building design)
• Lack of a sense of community or identity (Lesley: are with Katy students, engineering students, UH students?)
  • We can’t be successful with a start up if we are unsure of who we are at the outset
• Aligning policy and procedures
• Learning curve to achieve the desired standard because of the distance between UH and UH Katy and UH Sugar Land and UH Katy
• Shared space
• Funding
• Financial constraints

Opportunities:

• Partnerships expansion for colleges (health care, energy, career ready)
• Collaborative technology
• Technical resource sharing (with HCC)
• Collaborative marketing
• Retail (food service, supermarket, restaurants, Metro, park-n-ride, apartment
• Partnerships for residence (student life)
• Growth for professional certificates?

Threats:

• Competition with other universities
• Funding
• Pending regulations
• Growth
• Identity
• Political changes
• Lack of scholarships or funding for merit scholarship
  • Economic fluctuations - could impact scholarships

Observations:

• Many strengths that can help address weaknesses
• Confidence and insecurity in our growth
• Exciting opportunity as well as fear of the unknown
• Synergy that can happen from partnerships