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UHV strives to become ‘destination’ university to benefit region By TimHudson in Hudson On Higher Learning March 24, 2010

In June of last year, the University of Houston System completed an extensive, yearlong strategic planning process led by a highly regarded consultant, Alceste Pappas of Pappas Consulting Group in Stamford, Conn. Among the many issues addressed was the identity of each of the four universities comprising the UH System.

After considerable debate, study, input through interviews with local leaders, faculty, students and staff, and assessing plausible future directions for UHV, the UH System Board of Regents accepted the consultant’s recommendation that UHV should and could develop into a successful “destination” university. The first sentence in our new mission statement recently approved by the Board of Regents even says that UHV is a “dynamic destination university in the Coast Bend Region of Texas.” And, of course, we’ll be adding our FIRST 200 underclassmen this fall.

Just what does it mean to be a destination university? Well, let’s start with what it does NOT mean. It is certainly not a “virtual-only” university that reaches its students primarily through Web-based courses. At UHV, we are proud of our state-leading, extensive online learning opportunities. Our success in “finding” students in virtual “locations” has enabled significant growth in terms of enrollment and academic programs, and we certainly have NO intention of abandoning this highly successful enterprise. In fact, we want to keep this “business line” active and robust while we emerge as a destination university.

Another thing a destination university is NOT is a “local” university depending solely on the local educational pipeline for its students. Of course, a destination university serves its region. In fact, it serves it better and with more programs and opportunities than if it only enrolled students coming through the local educational system. In our case, for instance, we have added more majors, such as nursing, an accredited MBA and forensic psychology, all because we have grown enrollment beyond our “region.”

Finally, a “destination” university is not really an official “category” (like UHV’s current Carnegie classification as a “master’s college and university”) but rather a descriptor – and in some ways an aspiration, a goal. A destination university attracts students from far and wide. How far and wide? Well, that depends on the university. Already this spring we have received applications for our freshman class from 71 Texas counties, 15 states and seven foreign countries. You can read about some of the students we’ve accepted by going to New to UHV. Our baseball and softball players came to Victoria from across Texas, and we’ve had interest from students as far away as Canada, England, Mexico, Switzerland, Scotland and the Caribbean to play on our new soccer and golf teams next year. Our new publishing program, our economic development master’s and other such degree options, which would be impossible to offer based only on local enrollment, are attracting national interest.

Our tuition is affordable (we know, and we hear); we’re within two hours of Corpus Christi, Houston, Austin and San Antonio; our city is not too small but not too big, etc. A destination university can attract new citizens, promote a place or region, and act as a catalyst for social progress and economic development. It adds vitality and vibrancy; money and opportunity; and new ideas and creativity to the community while serving local educational needs in a more robust fashion.

Thanks to the help of so many community supporters and the work of our faculty and staff, UHV is evolving into a real “destination” university, a university of choice for students near and far – students headed for a new destination – Victoria.

UHV page

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