Residents in the greater Houston area soon will have additional access to higher education opportunities. To accommodate population growth in Fort Bend County and the workforce needs of the community, the 91视频 will increase its degree offerings in the city of Sugar Land.
The UH System Board of Regents approved a measure that will expand UH鈥檚 academic and administrative presence at the system鈥檚 Sugar Land teaching center starting in January 2012. Following approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the UH System at Sugar Land teaching center would be renamed the UH Sugar Land Campus. UH will ultimately serve as the primary provider of academic programs at the UH Sugar Land Campus and will oversee its operations.
The measure represents a change in administrative ownership of UH Sugar Land from the 91视频 System to the 91视频. The 91视频 will manage the campus in Sugar Land, in close collaboration with its partners in the UH System, including UH Victoria (UHV). The array of programs currently offered in Sugar Land by UH Clear Lake (UHCL) and UHV will continue. The administrative change will facilitate a net increase in programs from UH, UHCL and UHV, UH System officials said.
鈥淭his is a 鈥榳in-win,鈥� said UH Victoria President Philip Castille. 鈥淭here will be no diminishment of our program offerings, and our programs will continue to meet the needs of Fort Bend County.鈥�
Two UH System regents who live in Victoria and Sugar Land, respectively, agreed.
鈥淭his represents more UH 鈥� not less UHV,鈥� said Regent Roger Welder, who is from Victoria. 鈥淚t allows us to offer more services at UH Sugar Land, which is hungry for more of what we provide at UH. We鈥檙e thrilled to be able to meet that demand.鈥�
Regent Jarvis Hollingsworth said, 鈥淎s a UH System regent and a resident of Sugar Land, I am proud of the board鈥檚 decision. I think the Sugar Land community and UH will benefit from this partnership. This would not have been possible without support from the city of Sugar Land and the community. This is what it鈥檚 all about. Universities and communities working together to serve students.鈥�
John Antel, UH provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, said, 鈥淲e have a plan in place with the people in Sugar Land to build a larger UH presence in that area. We鈥檙e working with the community to accommodate the needs of its workforce by offering a range of new programs focused on technology, business and education.鈥�
Antel added that UH will start a minimum of nine programs at the UH Sugar Land Campus over the next three years. This will double the number of UH programs offered at this site. Among the UH degree programs recently added at the site are:
- Master of Science, Human Resource Development
- Master of Science, Project Management
- Doctor of Education, Professional Leadership
- Post Baccalaureate Certificate, Speech Pathology Assistant
鈥淥ur goal is to deliver programs that directly respond to this region鈥檚 workforce and economic development needs,鈥� said Marshall Schott, UH associate vice president for university outreach. 鈥淭here is a demand in this area for graduate degree programs. A large number of professionals have bachelor鈥檚 or post-baccalaureate degrees and want to enhance their careers. This campus will help deliver master鈥檚 programs to residents of Sugar Land and nearby areas.鈥�
Fort Bend County is among the fastest-growing areas within greater Houston. According to recent census data, its population increased by 65 percent over the past decade. In the past five years, the number of Fort Bend County residents attending a Texas public university has increased by 35 percent. Approximately 18,000 students in Fort Bend County attend Texas public universities, and 26 percent of these students are enrolled at UH.
鈥淭his is a tremendous opportunity for the city of Sugar Land and UH,鈥� said Sugar Land Mayor James A. Thompson, who attended the meeting and addressed the board. 鈥淭o have strengthened access to UH鈥檚 programs is a great thing. We have a very strong economic development group in Fort Bend County that was very involved in getting these programs here, and we look forward to these academic offerings complementing our local economy.鈥�
Located in Sugar Land at the intersection of U.S. Highway 59 South and University Boulevard, the 200-acre campus hosts 15 UH degree programs and four certifications, as well as programs from UH Clear Lake, UH Victoria and Wharton County Junior College. Classes are delivered in the 57,000-square-foot Albert and Mamie George Building and the 145,000-square-foot Brazos Hall. Among the academic resources available to students is the University Branch Library, which is part of Fort Bend County Libraries.
鈥淯H is invested in providing greater access to higher education within the greater Houston area,鈥� Schott said. 鈥淭o do this, we are building partnerships with community members. Collaborations with business leaders, the public sector and residents will help pave the path toward academic excellence for this campus.鈥�
###
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM
The 91视频 System is a comprehensive system of higher education institutions serving to further the intellectual capital and economic strength of the Gulf Coast region. The UH System includes the 91视频, a nationally recognized Tier One public research university; the University of Houston-Downtown, a four-year undergraduate university expanding into graduate programs; the 91视频-Victoria, a four-year university with undergraduate and master鈥檚 level degree programs; and the University of Houston- Clear Lake, an upper-division and master鈥檚 level institution. The system also includes two branch campuses, UH-Clear Lake Pearland and Lone Star College-University Park, as well as two multi-institution teaching centers, UH System Sugar Land and UH System Cinco Ranch. In addition, the System owns and operates KUHF-FM, Houston鈥檚 National Public Radio station; KUHA-FM, Houston鈥檚 24-hour classical music station; and KUHT-TV, the nation鈥檚 first educational television station. To learn more about the UH System, visit