Office of External Communications

Houston, TX 77204-5017 Fax: 713.743.8199

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 21, 2004

Contact: Angie Joe
713.743.8153 (office)
713.617.7138 (pager)
ajoe@uh.edu

HOUSTON, Dec. 21, 2004 – More than $90,000 was contributed to the State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC) by University of Houston faculty and staff this year, bringing UH’s donation total to $1 million at the mark of its 10-year anniversary.

SECC is the annual workplace charity drive in which all state employees can make tax-deductible contributions to more than 300 local and state charities through either a payroll deduction or a one-time gift. UH joined the SECC in 1995.

Contributions totaling $96,728 were tallied by the end of the 2004 campaign. The university’s 10-year total is $1,008,728. Although fewer employees participated this year than last year, the average individual gift went up from $130 in 2003 to $166 in 2004. About 550 charities participated, and 582 faculty and staff members made pledges.

This year’s theme was “Committed to a Stronger Community.”

“Our gratitude goes to the representatives who volunteered to help in some of the colleges and departments,” said John Rudley, vice president for administration and finance and this year’s UH SECC chair. “Every gift, whether large or small, makes a difference.”

For more information call 713-743-8579 or 713-743-8188 or visit www.uh.edu/media/secc.

About the University of Houston
The University of Houston, Texas’ premier metropolitan research and teaching institution, is home to more than 40 research centers and institutes and sponsors more than 300 partnerships with corporate, civic and governmental entities. UH, the most diverse research university in the country, stands at the forefront of education, research and service with more than 35,000 students.

For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.