Higher Education Headlines: Nov. 11
By Sheryl E. Taylor
UH Launches Think Tank on Gender, Sexuality—Houston Chronicle
The University of Houston has launched The Institute for Research on Women, Gender and Sexuality, which will generate research and dialogue around topics related to gender and sexuality, including workforce, health, family and relationships, leadership and equity within the Houston region. [Subscription may be required.]
Florida State Bought Out its Football Coach’s Contract for $22 Million. How Else Could It Have Used that Money?—The Chronicle of Higher Education
The university could have covered the annual operating budget of its engineering college and still had $7.5 million left over for raises or scholarships.
A University Wanted to Improve Its Culture. So It Called Disney.—The Chronicle of Higher Education
George Washington University paid the Disney Institute, a consulting arm of the Walt Disney Company, to administer a climate survey to faculty and staff. The results shed light on what the institute called a major disconnect between managers and their employees, a lack of transparency, and a “debilitating fear” of making a decision or a mistake.
How UH Students are Helping Third Ward Entrepreneurs—Houston Chronicle
Entrepreneurs knows no stereotype. [Subscription may be required.]
More Texans Fail to Make a Dent in Student Loans Within Five Years of Repayment—Houston Chronicle
A quarter of Texans who took out student loans defaulted within five years of starting to make payments, according to Pew Research. More than half had not made any dent on their original balance after the time frame and a fifth owed more than when they began.
[Subscription may be required.]
U.S. Dept. of Education Reviewing Texas State University’s Compliance With a Federal Crime Reporting Statute—The Texas Tribune
The move comes after the university acknowledged it under-reported the number of rapes and other crimes on campus in recent years. Texas State's president told students that the school is cooperating with the federal agency and has already made reforms.
The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and 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 President Loren J. Blanchard. Annually, UHD educates approximately 14,000 students, boasts more than 66,000 alumni, and offers 45 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences and Technology. UHD has one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas.
U.S. News and World Report ranked UHD among the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Applied Administration and Best Online Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice, as well as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked UHD one of the best colleges in the U.S. for its 2024 rankings, with notable distinctions: No. 1 for diversity (tied) and No. 3 for student experience. The University is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military Friendly School. For more information on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit uhd.edu.
