December 1, 2017

The University of Houston’s UHin4 program recently won the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s (THECB) Star Award. The Star Award recognizes exceptional contributions toward meeting one or more of the goals of the Texas higher education plan, 60x30TX. The four winners of the 2017 Star Award were recognized at the THECB’s annual Leadership Conference luncheon on December 1, 2017.

“The UHin4 program has shown outstanding success, especially among our African American students” said Paula Myrick Short, UH senior vice president of academic affairs and provost and UH System senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. “I am thrilled to positively affect the graduation rates of the University of Houston through this successful program. To date, we have raised the four-year graduation rate from 30 percent in 2014 to a projected 42% for 2017.”

Dr. Short developed and implemented the UHin4 program, with the first cohort participating in 2014. With each new academic year, a larger percentage of the incoming freshman class has chosen to participate. With the incoming 2017 cohort, 71% of students have chosen to participate in UHin4.

“This program gives students an exit plan. It allows them to develop a plan to graduate within four years and save money through fixed tuition” Short said. UHin4 also supports students through numerous resources, including four-year academic maps, degree progress tools, a fixed tuition option, and priority enrollment options.

UHin4 has made a positive impact on student success outcomes. Data indicate that UHin4 students have been retained at a higher rate and have demonstrated superior academic performance and progress than non UHin4 students. Of the original students who started in the 2014 UHin4 cohort, 49.2% have already graduated or are on track to graduate in four years.

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