By Laura Wagner

University of Houston (UH) System Chancellor Renu Khator recently announced the retirement of Dr. Paula Myrick Short.

After a decade of service, the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for the UH System and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at UH is stepping down to spend more time with her family.

Short is celebrated for numerous achievements at UH, including establishing two new colleges as well as the UH Graduate School, co-founding UH’s Data Science Institute, and launching faculty recruiting and retaining initiatives that increased Black and Hispanic tenured and tenure-track faculty by 40 percent, and women tenured and tenure-track faculty by 26 percent.

She also helped found the Houston Guided Pathways to Success, a multi-university collaborative designed to increase college completion and improve the transition from community college to university. UHD President Loren J. Blanchard leads Houston GPS as the 2022-23 Chair of the Governing Council. Dr. Short assembled Houston-area colleges and universities that serve a majority-minority student population into a consortium to ensure students graduate on time, without excess credit hours, and with minimal debt. 

Houston GPS’ goals include: 

• Providing a timely, structured, and seamless pathway for students transferring from Gulf Coast-Houston area community colleges to Houston-area universities. 
• Boosting postsecondary attainment and increasing completion and successful transfer rates in the Houston region. 
• Building a culture of timely graduation that will save everyone time and money – most importantly, students. 

“It has been such a privilege serving with Dr. Short on Houston Guided Pathways to Success,” Blanchard said. “Her vision and leadership are unparalleled – she has truly lighted the way to accomplishing real change that will impact the success of our students and our community.” 

In May, the UH Board of Regents unanimously voted to bestow on Dr. Short the status of Faculty Emeritus as well as Senior Vice President Emeritus – making her the first person at the University of Houston to receive the Senior Vice President Emeritus title. 

“These well-earned designations acknowledge Dr. Short’s contributions, but her legacy goes far beyond the accomplishments she has already achieved,” Blanchard said. “Her true legacy will be revealed over time, in the successes of the many students who will benefit from her efforts in years to come.”