The University of Houston-Victoria is on the uptick despite a four-year decline in enrollment and budget cuts, President Bob Glenn said at the Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon Wednesday at UHV.
Back in March, the university reduced its operation budget, which included cutting back on personnel. Approximately 85% of the universityòòò½ÊÓƵ™s overall budget is appropriate for paying staff. The budget cuts were due to a four-year downtrend in enrollment and retention.
òòò½ÊÓƵœMost people forget we are a business. Our budget is enrollment driven,òòò½ÊÓƵ Glenn said.
This past school year, the university expected 5,000 students for enrollment. Instead, only 3,800 students enrolled. One cause for the declining enrollment numbers is due to what the university calls a òòò½ÊÓƵœweak pipeline.òòò½ÊÓƵ This pipeline describes the path that leads high school graduates into higher education.
Across the country, 61.4% of high school graduates enrolled in college. In Texas, 55% of students go into higher education and, in Victoria, only 18% of students pursue college degrees. Victoria College and the University of Houston-Victoria are working together to support and channel graduates into higher education.
òòò½ÊÓƵœStudents believe they canòòò½ÊÓƵ™t afford college,òòò½ÊÓƵ Glenn said.
Across the country, 59% of college graduates had student loan debt in 2023. In Texas, almost half of college graduates leave school with student loan debt. At public four-year universities like UHV, the average student graduates with an average $24,700 in loans.
òòò½ÊÓƵœHalf the students that come out of UHV have no debt and, if they do, itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s under $20,000,òòò½ÊÓƵ Glenn said.
By meeting the needs of students with scholarships and financial aid, the university is also working to make their programs profitable not only for students but for businesses as well. By marketing the potential income and career paths that their programs can offer, the university helps graduates secure much-needed jobs around the community. One example of this is the universityòòò½ÊÓƵ™s concurrent nursing program with Victoria College.
òòò½ÊÓƵœWeòòò½ÊÓƵ™re refocusing our academic inventory to align with the workforce needs of the community. Thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s why we are creating engineering and agriculture programs,òòò½ÊÓƵ Glenn said.
By making a bacheloròòò½ÊÓƵ™s degree affordable and by making it profitable for both companies and students, the university has seen an uptick in recent enrollment numbers. Freshmen enrollment rates this academic year were up by 37% and the university saw an increase in transfer students by 7%.
òòò½ÊÓƵœWeòòò½ÊÓƵ™re in good shape now,òòò½ÊÓƵ Glenn said.
As the university refocuses its resources to tailor to the specific needs of the local workforce, it continues to operate under low enrollment rates and a limited budget. But Glenn stresses that the most important part of the university is the people from the staff to the students to the community that supports higher education.
òòò½ÊÓƵœThe university is yours. This is your university, itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s not just for the students,òòò½ÊÓƵ Glenn said.
Commented