You may have noticed that the official signage has been placed on UHD’s College of Sciences & Technology Building … reminding all Houstonians that our university is growing.

And you have likely seen hundreds of UHD’s newest Gators on campus attending Gator Ready among other events, with more on the way for Gator Gateway.

These are just two examples of UHD’s ongoing growth. As I’ve stated previously, the university’s progress couldn’t happen without effective leadership from faculty and staff.

To cultivate new university leaders, we debuted the President’s Leadership Academy (PLA) last fall. This initiative is focused on further honing the talents of exemplary faculty and staff members and preparing them for enhanced roles in our institution. It also broadens their knowledge of the University.

The first class of PLA Fellows graduated in April, and it is now time to consider nominees for the 2019-2020 cohort of fellows. A notice from Employment Services and Operations will soon be distributed to managers announcing the call for nominations and providing more information on the process, timeline and links to the nomination forms.

I encourage college, division and department leaders to begin considering PLA candidates who will support UHD as it continues on its upward trajectory. Identify those leaders in your respective areas who demonstrate institutional pride and a commitment to student success.

The feedback I’ve received regarding the Academy has been tremendous with PLA Fellows indicating that they’ve gained greater insights into their own leadership abilities and how they will apply them to their roles at UHD.

This edition of the One Main Message continues the theme of leadership by spotlighting the recent Staff Award recipients, as well as an upcoming event hosted at UHD that will revive the Texas Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.

Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz
UHD President

2019 Staff Awards
The recent Staff Awards Ceremony, presented by UHD Staff Council, recognized those Gators who go beyond the call of duty to serve this university. This year, a new Community Service category was added to acknowledge staff members who volunteer their time and energy to help others and support our city. Congratulations to those who earned awards this year, and thank you for your service to UHD.

UHD Hosting State’s Diversity Officers
Next week, UHD will host the first meeting in nearly five years of the Texas Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education. Higher education professionals from throughout our great state and the nation will visit our campus to address issues affecting colleges and universities in Texas. It is indeed an honor to serve as the site for this important event, and we look forward to an exchange of ideas with colleagues committed to diversity and inclusion on our state’s campuses.