A dialogue on the University’s goal of local and national recognition marked the end of the four days of town hall meetings in the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management.
‘We want that (local and worldwide) recognition so we can hire better, recruit better and get better students,’ said Richard Alderman, chairman of the Strategic Action Group.
The SAG local and national recognition committee proposed a four-part plan to improve the University’s recognition and reputation to attract accomplished faculty, staff and students.
‘I think we need to know what the general man or woman on the street perceives,’ Angie Grindon, Learning and Assessment Services project manager, said.
Alderman said the University isn’t getting the credit it deserves.
‘When we find out what people think of us, it’s clear that we are the best kept secret of Houston,’ Alderman said. ‘We’re increasing recognition of the quality things and not just of the University.’
Most prospective college students don’t consider UH as a first choice when applying to college, the assistant director for Campus Recruitment Theresa Cyr said.’
The SAG committee shared Cyr’s concern and Alderman said how UH is perceived by the community is important.
‘There are different markets. The recognition that we thought important was recognition of what the faculty was doing,’ Alderman said. ‘The recognition helps do more, and the recognition of amenities have to matter. Students matter to us and doing things at a college level matters.’
The SAG committee proposed to increase recognition through communication and getting the right people to do it.
‘When someone gives a speech, we make sure people know about it. When people publish, we make sure people know about it, and that is all part of the recognition,’ Alderman said. ‘We think it builds from the bottom up. (Recognition) is not cheap, but you need a person on staff, in house, who knows how to reach out and who knows how to find the right people and what they care about.’
The committee also proposed an emphasizing alumni support by conducting a perception study with alumni and to modify alumni communications.
‘This has to be one of the most important goals,’ Alderman said. ‘If the University is recognized for its academic achievements, (then) alumni will be more involved with the school and think more of the school. ‘
Hospitality junior Gerardo Chavez said alumni should be educated and asked for their help.
‘We need people who know how to take what we have done and turn that into something the alumni will understand and be impressed with,’ Alderman said.
He said University recognition is not achieved on a blanket scale, but rather earned through departmental achievements.
‘This is not a big picture, one size fits all. Recognition is at so many levels and so different for each entity within the levels that it can’t be done on a centralized basis, because you end up losing the precision of reaching out to the constituency,’ Alderman said.
The local and national recognition meeting was the last of six town hall meetings that served the purpose to facilitate a level of dialogue for the University’s goals from faculty, staff and students.
Overall, the meetings’ responses have been productive, said Daniel Gardner, assistant vice chairman for Planning and Initiatives.’
‘I am very pleased with the town hall meetings. We’ve had a good range of people come out from faculty, staff and students to venturists.’ Gardner said.
The University’s six SAG committees will be present at a town hall grand finale April 21, which UH President Renu Khator will attend, Gardner said.’
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