Vic Morgan, interim president of the University of Houston-Victoria, has promoted Jay Lambert to UHV vice president for enrollment management and student affairs effective Jan. 1.

Vic Morgan

“Dr. Lambert has a strong commitment to helping UHV become a destination university,” Morgan said. “His expertise will be a big boost to our goal of reaching an enrollment of 6,000 students by 2025. This shift allows the university to put greater emphasis on enrollment management and student services as well as freeing Provost Jeffrey Cass to focus on our academic programs and the development of an academic master plan.”

Lambert came to UHV in spring 2013 from Lamar University, where he worked as the assistant vice president for student engagement. Before then, he worked at various institutions, including Christopher Newport University, Mount Saint Mary’s College and the University of Evansville. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Southeastern Louisiana University, a master’s in counseling and personnel services from University of Southern Mississippi and his doctorate in educational leadership from Lamar.

In his new position, his major goals are to focus on increasing UHV’s undergraduate enrollment and improving student retention. The university will not be filling his previous position of associate vice president of student affairs.

As part of the change, Lambert will report to Morgan rather than Cass, who also is vice president for academic affairs. The shift will allow Cass and the deans of UHV’s academic schools to focus on the goal of offering as many as five new academic degrees a year as part of UHV’s 10-year plan.

Jay Lambert

“As we move forward, reporting to the president will allow more of an emphasis on student affairs and enrollment, and let these areas develop their own identities as part of UHV’s growth,” Lambert said. “I’m excited about the direction the university is going. It’s a process that will take time, but UHV has so much potential for growth. I am also very blessed to have great directors and staff in all of our departments.”

Part of the effort to accomplish the university’s enrollment goal is the work being done by the offices of Student Life and Residence Life, Lambert said. By offering student-centered activities and services, the university is encouraging greater enrollment and retention.

“In less than a year and a half, we have seen a complete overhaul of staff in the Student Life and Residence Life areas,” Lambert said. “The supervisors, Dakota Doman and Brandon Lee, have done a fantastic job creating a student-focused approach, and with them focusing on student life on campus, I will be able to give more of my attention to enrollment management.”

In addition to the services offered by Student Life, Lambert hopes to find ways to add more amenities for UHV students. The university is requesting $166 million in Tuition Revenue Bonds from the Texas Legislature. If the request is granted, UHV can start constructing additional buildings.

“At the moment, UHV’s amenities do not match some of the competing universities in our region,” Lambert said. “However, we have a clear plan for growth, and whether we get bonds from the state to build new facilities, develop community partnerships or take other action, UHV will continue to grow into a comprehensive regional university.”