There seems to be mixed opinions here as to whether the University of Houston should move more towards a Traditional University.
It was my understanding that once we fought for years to receive a Power Conference invitation it meant that we ABSOLUTELY had to make significant strides to head in that direction.
OUR LEADERS WANTED THIS! Tilman fought our politicians to lead us in this direction so they are not compromising their strategic vision.
Don’t believe me?
I am going to list ALL of the schools in the P4 + the PAC 2.
Let me know which schools, on this list, are NOT viewed as Traditional Universities with Traditional Students.
Seems to me that almost ALL are TRADITIONAL UNIVERSITIES.
On the flip side, the G5 is full of NON-TRADITIONAL Universities or those struggling to become Traditional Universities.
Let me know.
This is the chance for the “Non Traditional” proponents to pint out which Power Schools are NOT Traditional Universities.
Point out the Universities that are more like UH than different…let’s learn about our contemporaries.
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
Boston College
Syracuse University
Clemson University
Duke University
Florida State University
Georgia Tech
University of Louisville
University of Miami
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
North Carolina State University
University of Notre Dame* (Independent in Football).
A more fool proof way of describing traditional would be to say a more “residential campus”. I think the threshold is 25% on campus and we’re maybe 18% now.
Traditional students WANT to passionately attend their University and want to be part of the University academically, socially (groups/ greek/ intramurals/etc), and support athletics and hang out with other students after class on campus or in a nearby “university district”. Many live on campus and Many may also work on campus …i know of many that worked in the service industry or as teacher aides. They also mentor under classmen while attending to help with their academic journey but also to pass down their school’s culture/tradition.
They do NOT flee the campus, the second classes end…they help BUILD the culture…to build that networking family!
After graduating, they remain active alums and visit campus multiple times a year- to attend sporting events, alumni events, mentorship/networking events or even to support current students (i.e plays, theater, concert, presentations, lectures, etc.)
In my opinion, the University of Houston does NOT recruit these type of students and should!
If UH was serious about student experience they would do more to really make it fun. Add a park or something. A zip line or idk more bars across the den. Clubs or more games or experiences at football. You could do alot with 1million.
Make people make more friends. I think thats what was hardest for me to get out of my comfort zone but did it. Could do a lot more. Thats not even a question.
The university doesn’t even care about the alumni. There’s no master plan else tailgating wouldn’t move every couple of years.
So, the administration has spoken.
Personally, if a student wants an engineering degree and just considers the school as a tool, so be it. Or wants to study accounting to go work somewhere and forget about UH. Etc.
Freshman and sophomore years you pretty much spend Thursday through Sunday at Northgate
Junior and senior years you drive back to Houston every weekend
College Station is beyond boring especially during football offseason
Most of the campus life participation is done by freshman and sophomore students. Campus life junior and senior years gets old unless it’s directly related to your major such as networking events
Unfortunately transfers take a large portion of our student population, and junior/senior year students just want to go to class and go home
You want traditional then you need more first year students
One more time UH1927.
Houston has no zoning laws
The third ward has to be beautified/redeveloped.
U of H is in the third ward.
Who is going to invest to beautify/redeveloped the third ward?
A traditional university has amenities that make people stay, work(offices) and party.
What does U of H need to get there?
I do not want to hear that it is a catch 22 situation. A real third ward development has to take place. Both third ward residents and U of H will greatly benefit from it.
To add to my point you have to look at the entire “footprint” of U of H and the third ward. It can be done. Other cities have done similar “beautification” This is IMO whitmire’s legacy if he wants to do it. The entire city of Houston will benefit from it.
I hate to say this but UCF saw the lack of consistent support at UH, Cincinnati, USF, Temple etc and decided to take a different route to connecting with the students, graduates, fans, and prospective students.
They embraced the embraced the “National” championship of 2017 and used it to market themselves since then to become a better campus and gain support to where they got a Big 12 invite.
They don’t have the history of UH, BYU, and Cincinnati but they took giant leaps instead of baby steps since they evolved from a tech school in the late 60s.
Here is one list that has nearly 500 schools (including the P4 schools). That have better than UH for housing on-campus %. Well Auburn did not and a few Cal state schools. So only about 400 left.
The overwhelming bulk of the University of California system is AAU, Traditional, and not in a P4.
Rice, obviously. Tulane. Oregon State. Wazzu. UChicago and WUSTL and MIT don’t even compete in D1. Most private universities that I’d describe as “good” fall into that category, actually. Stony Brook and Buffalo, too.
UH was founded to educate Houston kids whose parents could not afford to send their kids to distant universities. Fullfeeding that role is of tremendous value to the city. That is demonstrated by over 3500 alumni who are CEOs or own their own businesses. That reason and UH’s location will keep UH from being a traditional university.
Becoming a member of the AAU will increase the number of students that are not from the city. Tulane is an example with many kids from out of state attending it.
Simply being an AAU school and the medical school may increase the number of out- of-city kids attending UH. It works for Tulane and it can work for UH. UH is working hard to become an AAU school.
UH should increase its efforts to relate to its alumni. Perhaps a campus tour day would help.