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Two schools’ diversity acknowledged

Two UH colleges were recognized by The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education for its high numbers of graduating Hispanic students. The College of Optometry and the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture were ranked first for schools that graduated minority students.

The UH College of Optometry ranked number one in the category of professional degrees awarded to Hispanic students, and was listed as second in 2006.

Associate Dean for Professional Studies at the College of Optometry, Roger Boltz, said that their efforts have been focused on recruiting a diverse community for the college.

The Texas Optometry Career Opportunities Program is offered as a summer program to give students a background on what the first year of course work in the field of optometry will be like.

"We have, for a number of years, put an emphasis on recruiting unrepresented groups of students into the program, and we have what’s called a TEXOCOP program," Boltz said. "(TEXOCOP) essentially gives an advance look about what the optometry program does, and it’s here toward underrepresented population, that would include African-Americans and Hispanics."

Boltz said that full-time recruiters go to institutions that are historically black or Hispanic and focus on bringing in students into the optometry program.

"Our goal is to increase those numbers even beyond where they are right now," Boltz said. "We have worked hard in terms of trying to recruit students, and it looks like, in this case, it’s paying off, that our efforts are being recognized."

Dean of the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture Joseph Mashburn said that the University’s diversity is key to the success of the architecture program.

"I think UH and this college (of architecture) attracts a diverse student body because of our history and our reputation as a place where all are welcome and a place that helps change lives," Mashburn said.

Mashburn said he is proud the college was acknowledged in the Hispanic Outlook, and because the college is recognized for bringing such diversity into the campus, the college’s efforts are to ensure quality programs for students.

"We are also working very hard to also increase the quality of our programs," Mashburn said. "To do otherwise would be to tell our wonderfully diverse students that they must settle for a second best education."

Mashburn said the college of architecture has received 1,100 applications for 160 places in their undergraduate programs for 2007. The most popular degree offered for undergraduate students is a five-year Bachelor of Architecture.

"We are particularly pleased that, as our student body has grown in size across the last few years, we have also increased student diversity, student retention and student quality," Mashburn said.

UH as a whole was ranked 15th in the nation for the number of bachelor degrees awarded to Hispanic students, graduating 911 in 2006. Hispanic students represented 20 percent of the graduating student body.

UH Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Donald Foss said he is proud to be a part of UH and its commitment to educating students from all ethnic backgrounds, especially because the minority community is expanding.

"Not only are we in the top 20 among Hispanic students, we are also in the top 20 universities in awarding degrees to students from Asian-American communities," Foss said. "And among universities sometimes labeled as ‘traditionally white institutions,’ we are among the top 20 in awarding bachelor’s degrees to African- American students."

The architecture program awarded 57 degrees to Hispanic students in 2006, which made it three places higher than last year according to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education statistics.

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