President's Message: Partial Refunds for Student Parking
Dear Students, Faculty & Staff,
It’s been a week of transition for UHD and for our city, and I am hopeful you and your families are staying well.
This week, we moved classes online. This was quite an undertaking, with faculty and staff working long hours to prepare for this switch. I want to extend my gratitude to those who played a role in this transition. In particular, I want to acknowledge our faculty for quickly adapting to a new instructional model within just one week.
Students, you also have my admiration for adapting to not only this academic shift, but to an unprecedented event in our country’s history.
While the UHD Community has been resilient throughout the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many questions remain regarding a range of campus-related issues. We answered some of those yesterday during an outstandingFacebook Live event, which focused on the postponement of Spring Commencement.
And today, I’m prepared to provide additional information related to some of the questions centered on parking.
To those students inquiring about fees paid for Spring parking, I am pleased to announce that UHD will provide partial refunds for the period that the campus is not conducting on-campus classes. Details on how the refund process will be handled can be found on the University’s Parking & Transportation website.
In the coming days and weeks, I hope to provide additional information related to the questions we’re receiving through coronavirus@uhd.edu. Be assured, that we are listening to your concerns and making every effort to address them.
We’re also addressing our students’ needs based on the Student Assessment Survey. As a result, UHD has been providing refurbished computers to students without access to the technology needed for online courses. I’d like to recognize the dedicated team in Information Technology for returning to campus to distribute these devices and helping students continue their education.
Additionally, I’d like to recognize the many Gators who are lending a hand to off-campus endeavors. This week, the College of Sciences & Technology contributed disposable gloves and lab coats to Houston Methodist Hospital. And our Student Government Association has been working alongside Mattress Mack to help seniors in need. I look forward to sharing more stories like these soon.
It’s been a very busy week, and the weekend is here. I encourage all of you to take a well-deserved break while keeping sight of the most immediate goal at hand … staying healthy.
Have a great weekend, Gators.
Dr. Juán Sanchez Muñoz
UHD President
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.
