Higher Education Headlines: Feb. 25
By Sheryl E. Taylor
Texas Community Colleges Warn They May Consider Tuition Hikes in the Face of Property Tax Reform—The Texas Tribune
Property taxes are one of three main sources of revenue for community colleges. If growth in those taxes is limited, the colleges say they may have to look elsewhere for revenue.
The Rise of the Mega-University—The Chronicle of Higher Education
At a time when many colleges are struggling with shrinking enrollment and tighter budgets, Southern New Hampshire is thriving on a grand scale, and it’s not alone.
The New “In Loco Parentis”—The Chronicle of Higher Education
In 1911, Berea College really didn’t like its students to eat at a restaurant across the street from the campus.
Spend. Build. Repeat. Unbridled Growth is at the Heart of a Crisis at USF.—The Chronicle of Higher Education
A widening financial scandal at the University of Central Florida, which may have cost a newly minted president his job, has raised deeper questions about whether a culture of ethical shortcuts and lapses in oversight took root during years of unbridled growth at the institution.
A New Controversy is Dogging DeVos’s Education Department. Here’s What You Need to Know.—The Chronicle of Higher EducationDeVos, a billionaire philanthropist, has hired officials with ties to for-profit education, and critics have long alleged that those ties have helped drive her department’s higher-education policy.
The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD)—the second largest university in Houston—has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974.
As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive four-year university led by Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz. Annually, UHD educates more than 14,000 students; boasts over 50,000 alumni and offers 44 bachelor’s and eight master’s degree programs within five colleges (Marilyn Davies College of Business; Humanities & Social Sciences; Public Service, Sciences & Technology; and University College). In 2018, UHD grew its First Time in College student population by 11 percent and transfer students by 14 percent.
UHD has the most affordable tuition among four-year universities in Houston. It also is ranked among 15 U.S. universities with lowest net price to students (according to the U.S. Department of Education). The University is noted nationally as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution and a Minority-Serving Institution. For more on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit www.uhd.edu.