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Joint Statement from Jimmy Goodson, president of The Victoria College; Tim Hudson, president of UH-Victoria; and John Rudley, interim UH president and UH System Chancellor
August 9, 2007
Our meeting provided a welcome opportunity to discuss a matter that is vital to the community of Victoria and to those of us involved with higher education in this area. There has been considerable interest lately in exploring whether the University of Houston-Victoria should be expanded into a four-year institution. As our discussion today confirmed, this is a complicated subject, but one that is worthy of careful and thorough consideration. Neither The Victoria College nor the University of Houston System wants to take any action that would jeopardize the long and productive relationship that has existed between these two institutions. So, it is our mutual goal to determine what is in the best interests of both parties as we strengthen the model for delivering higher education to Victoria and the surrounding communities. Clearly, there are many civic, economic, demographic, administrative and academic factors that must be accurately ascertained before any determination can be made. We believe that an independent study, initiated by appropriate representatives from the community and from the two institutions, would be a logical next step to undertake.
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.
