UHV clears final hurdle to add underclassmen, gets first freshman application
The University of Houston-Victoria now has all the permission it needs to add freshmen and sophomores and has received its first freshman application.
On Tuesday, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which accredits most universities in Texas, approved UHV to admit underclassmen and offer lower division courses. Brittany Gaines, a high school senior in Clear Lake City, also applied for freshman admission.
“This is a monumental step forward on our journey to becoming a genuine destination university,” UHV President Tim Hudson said. “Passing this essential regulatory milestone with flying colors is cause for celebration, and I want to thank Provost Suzanne LaBrecque for leading this effort. UHV continues to make progress in its drive to be a fully realized institution of higher learning, and a force for individual empowerment and positive social, cultural and economic development in our region.”
Since its founding in 1973, UHV has offered junior-, senior- and master’s-level classes to increase public access to higher education, especially for community college students. Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill in June to allow UHV to add underclassmen in the fall of 2010. SACS then had to approve the expansion.
Gaines became the UHV’s first applicant after touring the campus last week.
“Everybody I talked to from UHV was very friendly and personable, and my parents really liked the affordable tuition,” she said. “I’m very, very excited about the fall.”
Hudson said he was looking forward to meeting Gaines and her fellow classmates.
“I look forward to meeting the members of our FIRST 200 students who will write a new chapter in the history of this great university,” Hudson said. “I want to thank everyone among our faculty, staff, students and community supporters who made this moment in history possible with their strong support and vision to see UHV’s tremendous potential.”
Aspiring students can apply online at www.uhv.edu.Applicants who have questions or need assistance can contact Denee Thomas, director of Letting Education Achieve Dreams (LEAD) and Student Recruitment at 361-570-4149, toll free at 877-970-4848, ext. 149, or by e-mail at recruitment@uhv.edu.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
