Undergraduate research is necessary for all students to benefit in the long run, student representatives said to members of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools during a meeting Tuesday concerning the Quality Enhancement Plan.
As part of the University’s reaccreditation by SACS is now required.
"It was good that there were different majors represented…as well as different levels of students from freshmen to seniors," said chemical engineering junior Phillip Loya, an Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society officer, who participated in the meeting.
Before arriving on campus, SACS reviewers sent a list of students they would like to meet with, said Veronique Tran, director of the Office of Undergraduate Discovery Program, which will take part in implementing the QEP.
"They included the Student Government Association President, an Honors College representative, members of Honors Societies, students who have participated in research from a broad array of disciplines, a freshman and a sophomore," Tran said.
Once the guidelines from SACS arrived, Tran said she asked faculty advisors for student recommendations and contacted administrators of research programs.
Loya said he had been invited to join for his leadership experience by Tran, while SGA President Samuel Dike said he was invited to attend the meeting by Vice President of Undergraduate Studies Agnes Defranco.
"With the implementation of†the Discovery-Based Learning Plan,†we as students will not only have real world experiences, but†will also be†equipped with the analytical and problem solving skills needed to understand those experiences," said Dike.
Tran said the meetings were designed to generate ideas about the QEP and twelve students were chosen to participate in the meeting.
UH President Renu Khator said she was excited about the step taken toward a more involved undergraduate program through the QEP.
"Nothing is more important at the University of Houston than our students’ success, so I’m enthusiastic about another significant step we’re taking to ensure that success," Khator said. "The Discovery-Based Learning Initiative we are launching this fall as part of our Quality Enhancement Plan promotes an undergraduate curriculum that enriches our current courses in research and emphasizes the development of new ones. Our students will enjoy increased opportunities for mentoring, internships, tutorials and interaction with professionals that will substantially augment their academic work."
