The Big Shift

Before the pandemic hit, only 20% of University of Houston faculty had taught an online course, and only 50% of students had ever enrolled in one.

On March 23, that all changed.

Nearly 6,000 courses, more than 2,700 faculty and 46,000 students moved online to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Student advising, career counseling and emotional support services went virtual, as well.

Moved online to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

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It was a massive undertaking, motivated by necessity.

Administration adjusted to support students and faculty through the transition. The University loaned out over 300 laptops to students in need and rolled out a series of faculty trainings to help professors successfully navigate remote teaching.

In the interest of public health, all classes remained online for the summer, as well, but that didn’t deter students. The University saw a 23% increase in enrollment and a 36% increase in summer credit hours, year-to-year. To help ease students’ burdens, the UH System Board of Regents approved a waiver of summer fees.

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It was the beginning of a “new normal” – a normal where UH faculty, staff and students rise to the occasion and overcome unexpected challenges with flexibility, compassion and innovation.

A normal where resilience takes center stage.

The Great Transformation

The safety of University of Houston faculty, staff and students was the University’s top priority when deciding to return to in-person classes this fall.

Based on guidance from the medical community, the campus reopened with significant precautions to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. Numerous safety measures were implemented, including a mandatory face covering and social-distancing protocols, the reconfiguration of spaces for social distancing, installation of 500 touch-free hand sanitizer dispensers, 300 barriers for desks and other customer-facing spaces, over 800 touchless water faucets, foot openers for doors and touchless hand towel dispensers, among other potentially life-saving precautions. The facilities department also hired an additional 45 staff to do daily enhanced cleanings.

The campus was transformed to adapt to the “new normal.”

To reduce physical interactions, UH fully maximized remote learning and work without comprising its academic goals. In addition to remote courses, HyFlex instruction was added, which allows professors to teach some students in-person, as others learn online. More than 250 classrooms were equipped with video technology for Hyflex courses, and classrooms were sanitized nightly with electrostatic fogging machines. Staff were encouraged to work remotely as long as they could successfully perform their duties.

UH developed extensive safety protocols for testing, tracing and containment, as well. The Student Health Center offers testing for students, faculty and staff, 100 dorm rooms have been set aside for quarantining of students, over 150 professionals are certified to contact trace and COVID-19 safety training is mandatory for students, faculty and staff.

Raising the Bar

In spite of the uncertainty of COVID-19, University of Houston raised the bar this year by enrolling 47,100 students in the fall — the largest enrollment in the University’s history.

UH hit another high mark, in 2020, ranking among the best in several categories in the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2021 rankings. The University earned a top 50 ranking as a “Top Performer for Social Mobility,” and landed on the lists for “Top Public Schools” and “Best Value Schools,” among others. Overall, UH moved up nine spots to rank 176th among all universities and 87th among all public universities in the nation in the report. In the last five years, the University has improved its Best Colleges ranking more than any other Texas university.

UH was also the only public school in Texas to make the CNBC “50 Colleges that Pay Off the Most” ranking, coming in No. 7 among public colleges. The list spotlights schools that provide students the highest average salaries for their tuition dollars. The ranking is well-earned as UH has the lowest student debt among all peer institutions in Texas, as well.

The University is investing more in its students than any other research institution in Texas, apart from those receiving the Permanent University Fund.

Life-Saving Discoveries: Game-Changing Faculty

As a Tier One research university, the University of Houston’s mission is to advance the frontiers of knowledge to improve lives. In thousands of labs and offices, our professors, post-doctorates and graduate students are working on innovative solutions to global challenges.

Notwithstanding COVID-19, UH researchers performed better this year than ever before, crossing the $200-million mark in total research expenditures. That’s resilient. In addition, the University received 32 major grant awards, which total $1 million or more, including a $10 million grant earned by Professor David Francis of the Department of Psychology to improve the learning abilities of non-English-speaking students in middle and high schools.

The University gained three new national research centers, in 2020, including the National Research and Development Center for English Language Learners, the HEALTH Center for Addictions Research and Cancer Prevention, and the Center for Integrated Catalysis. The additional centers bring UH’s total national research center count to eight.

With 41 filings, The University of Houston also registered a larger number of patents this year than ever before.

Combatting COVID-19

Here, We Grow

Famed psychologist Abraham Maslow once said, “One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.”

Here, we grow. Not just academically but physically, as well.

While some construction projects have been put on pause, due to the pandemic, others were completed or underway thanks to construction-designated funds from donor gifts, or state or bond funding.

The Quad

Here, We Go

When the University of Houston moved to remote learning in the spring, many students didn’t have the tools for virtual education and faced financial stresses due to job loss. UH called on donors to help students in need and raised more than $1 million for the Cougar Emergency Fund.

The $1 billion University of Houston system “Here, We Go” campaign concluded in August with an astounding $1.24 billion raised, exceeding expectations. More than 186,000 donors gave to the worthy cause, including 133,000 who contributed to UH for the first time.

“Here, We Go” is supporting hundreds of students with a $215-million fund specifically designated for scholarships and fellowships, 54 endowed professorships and chairs, the new construction or renovation of 29 buildings and 12 new or existing centers and institutes.

Two years ago, the University began a new tradition to celebrate the University’s March 7 birthday — the creation of UH Giving Day, a special day set aside to give back to UH. This year, 6,000 donors stepped up and gave $11 million.

Whose House?

Cougars accomplished something that hadn’t been done in 30 years. For two years in a row, the No. 21 ranked men’s basketball program was named the 2020 American Athletic Conference Champions. The last time the team won back-to-back, regular-season championships was in 1983 and 1984, when UH made it to the NCAA tournament final.

Women’s Swimming and Diving, Men’s Indoor Track and Field and Women’s Indoor Track and Field also won conference championships. Moreover, for the first time in UH history, all 17 sports programs finished with 3.0 or higher grade-point averages this past spring.

Men’s Basketball Team Named 2020 American Athletic Conference Champ

Sadly, legendary UH Coach Bill Yeoman passed away this year. It is not possible to talk about UH Athletics without talking about this UH icon. Coach Yeoman coached the Cougars for a remarkable 25 seasons, from 1962 to 1986, and was the first representative from the University to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. His 160 victories are the most in Houston’s history. Off the field, Yeoman played a key role early in the integration of college athletics with the signing of running back Warren McVea in 1964 as the Cougars’ first Black football student-athlete. His memory will forever live on in Cougar hearts.

Addressing Racial Equality

Like many around the world, the University’s collective consciousness was jolted by the senseless death of George Floyd. He was a Third Ward neighbor, which intensified the pain of his tragic death within the UH community. Since his passing, the University has challenged itself to listen, respect, think and act.

To that end, UH is engaged in vigorous dialog and pledges to create an environment where we have the courage to embrace our values, where we shed off our preconceived notions, where we don’t minimize others by dismissing their feelings and where we are ready to change.

Departments and divisions held workplace conversations on racial and social justice issues, academic units sponsored webinars and forums with internal and external experts, and faculty joined the broader community conversation on solutions to racial inequities.

Introspection is the attribute of the strong; indifference is the excuse of the weak.

A Racial Equality and Social Justice Committee, comprised of faculty, staff, students and alumni, was formed to assess the state of racism in Houston and determine how UH can help dismantle it.

High rankings, awards, better buildings and championships are laudable goals; however, they hold little value if the University doesn’t create a community of learners and educators who value human dignity, respect for one another and empathy for the anguish of others.

The University pledges to create a more just, equitable and non-discriminatory environment for all at the University of Houston and our greater community.