During Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting, the staff emphasized the importance of increasing the school’s graduation rate and focusing on UH students.
As most everyone on campus knows, the University’s primary goal is attaining flagship status; the school’s 42 percent graduation rate — greatly below the state average of 52 percent — makes achieving such status much more difficult.
One issue that UH President Renu Khator and the Senate have recognized as affecting graduation rates but haven’t seen much progress in is the number of commuter students at the University.
Other major Texas universities where the city in which they are located is centered around the school, such as the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University, have graduation rates in the 70th percentile.
It’s impossible to drive down any street in College Station without seeing some sort of A&M icon; in Austin, UT’s distinct burnt orange and white school colors are proudly displayed in many store windows, and Longhorn flags hang proudly outside of almost every home.
But hardly ever does one see UH memorabilia around Houston. Even students on campus tend to wear attire from other schools.
Being a commuter school affects school pride because living on or around campus inevitably forces students to participate in school activities. It’s important to have strong school pride because that will keep students eager and driven to stay enrolled, thus increasing retention and graduation rates.
UH can be a commuter school, but it needs to not have a commuting environment. Every day, by around 5 or 6 p.m., the campus is just about empty; the school is even more of a ghost town during weekends.
Graduation rates are determined by more than just test scores and funding. To reach flagship status, the University really needs to focus on its students.
“…in Austin, UT’s distinct burnt orange and white school colors are proudly displayed in many store windows, and Longhorn flags hang proudly outside of almost every home.”
hmmm…if you want people to take your article seriously, you cannot have such obviously incorrect/hyperbolic statements. Almost every home in Austin displays a Longhorn flag? The degree to which this statement is off (orders of magnitude!) may compel people to dismiss your entire thesis. Consider re-writing.