The UH Board of Regents on Friday approved a proposal for UH-Victoria to expand to a four-year university. The pitch now heads to the Victoria College Board of Trustees and, if given the OK, the decision will go before the state Legislature where we hope it meets approval.
UHV, which has traditionally offered only junior- and senior-level courses, plans to actively recruit high school students in an area where only 51 percent of graduating seniors went on to attend a Texas college or university in 2007.
By offering classes to freshman and sophomores, UHV will make it easier for area students to attend college and move forward with their education – and doing so won’t come at an exorbitant cost. Additional facilities will not be needed, and members of the community have already pledged $250,000 in scholarships.
Board Chairman Welcome Wilson told the Victoria Advocate that this community "enthusiasm" was part of the reason he is no longer hesitant to back the proposal.
We agree that the support shown thus far is notable, and think the fact that a number of people are already willing to help fund students’ education at an expanded UHV is a good indication that the plan is solid.
The school has worked with Victoria College, with many students attending the community college as underclassmen and UHV as upperclassmen. An initial concern some had with the proposal was that enrollment at Victoria College would be adversely affected by UHV enrolling freshman and sophomores.
While a legitimate concern, it seems the two schools will continue to work together to ensure this doesn’t happen.
UHV Chief of Staff Margaret Rice told the Victoria Advocate that Victoria College will continue holding undergraduate classes not offered at UHV, and that students would continue to take some classes at the community college’s reduced rate.
We think it’s good that UHV is not stepping on any toes, so to speak, and that it is taking its larger impact on the community and surrounding institutions into consideration.
Ultimately, though, it’s the impact it will have on students that matters most, and we believe it will be nothing but positive. As it stands, few students in the Victoria area are making the transition to college, and we think if UHV follows through on its plan to recruit high school students in Houston, Austin and San Antonio, it will be doing a great service to its community. We hope the proposal is approved and that many students are given a better chance of attending college.
