The University of Houston-Victoria (UHV), established in 1973, has been an important asset in providing students in the community with the opportunity to pursue higher education. Over 25,000 degrees have been earned at UHV since its inception, but the community pillar may soon see a change in name and ownership.
District 18 Texas Senator Lois Kolkhorst, along with District 7 Texas Senator Paul Bettencourt, filed a bill today that would transfer UHV to the Texas A&M University System. If passed, Senate Bill 2361 would take effect Sept. 1, 2025.
Attempts at this transfer have been made in the past. Former Texas House of Representatives District 30 representative Geanie Morrison introduced a similar bill in 2011. The previous attempt to successfully complete the transfer was met with concerns from community members. Fears regarding the elimination of degree programs only offered by the University of Houston System were felt when MorrisonƵs first bill was filed.
KolkhorstƵs bill would make UHV an institution component of the Texas A&M University System and place management and control under the systemƵs board of regents. UHV would additionally be known as Texas A&M University-Victoria.
The university would offer undergraduate and graduate level programs and be subject to the Texas A&M University System board of regentsƵ prescribed courses leading to appropriate degrees and other rules deemed necessary for university operations and management as detailed in the bill.
ƵThe governance, control, management and property of the University of Houston-Victoria [would be] transferred from the board of regents of the University of Houston System to the board of regents of the Texas A&M University System,Ƶ section 3 of the bill reads.
The Texas A&M University System would govern, operate, manage and control the university and all land, buildings, facilities, improvement, equipment, supplies and property currently belonging to UHV if the bill is passed. Governing rules and policies held by the University of Houston System would remain in effect until adopted, repealed or suspended by the Texas A&M University System board of regents.
The transfer will have a presently unknown effect on current and prospective UHV students, but the bill emphasizes a minimal impact on students. Tuition and fees authorized by the University of Houston SystemƵs board of regents would remain in place until the Texas A&M University System board of regents authorizes a different amount for both finances.
The transfer of governance would have no effect on the status of any UHV student other than making them students of Texas A&M University-Victoria. All UHV employees would similarly become Texas A&M University-Victoria employees. There would be no effect on employment status and accrued benefits of university employees when the transfer takes place, section 6 of the bill reads.
The bill would require the University of Houston System and the Texas A&M University System to enter a memorandum of understanding relating to the transfer of administration no later than June 1, 2025.
ƵThe memorandum of understanding must include a timetable and specific steps and methods for the transfer on September 1, 2025, of all powers, duties, obligations, rights, contracts, leases, records, real or personal property and unspent and unobligated appropriations and other funds relating to the transfer of the University of Houston-Victoria to The Texas A&M University System,Ƶ section 19 of the bill reads.
The filing of the bill is the first step in the legislative process. The bill must go through six more stages, including being voted on by both the Texas Senate and Texas House of Representatives. The final step would be making the bill a law.
The full bill can be accessed on the .
Commented