UH System Board of Regents Approves $1.7 Billion Budget for FY2016

Student Success, Access Among Priorities for UHS Institutions

The University of Houston System (UHS) continues to produce talented graduates ready for the workforce and groundbreaking research across a range of disciplines. In its efforts to expand on this upward trajectory, the UHS Board of Regents approved a $1.7 billion budget that will bolster initiatives aimed at student success, student access and national competitiveness. The budget was approved during its Aug. 20 meeting and will go into effect on Sept. 1.

The UH System consists of four universities: the University of Houston (UH), UH-Clear Lake (UHCL), UH-Downtown (UHD) and UH-Victoria (UHV).

In total, UHS will devote $1 billion from its operating costs toward student access and success initiatives. The System also will continue to expand its campuses through $188 million in capital project expenditures in FY2016. These include expanded academic and research facilities at UH; buildings dedicated to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curriculum, freshman housing, recreation facilities and parking at UHCL; labs, STEM facilities and a welcome center at UHD; and new student housing, academic buildings, walkways and a student center at UHV.

A further breakdown of the FY2016 budget is as follows:

  • UH - $1.25 billion: UH’s FY2016 budget devotes $17 million in new resources to student success and access initiatives including increased financial aid and fellowships, academic excellence initiatives, enhanced recruitment and enrollment services and improvements to the campus. UH also will continue to maintain its Tier One status by contributing $21 million in new resources toward national competitiveness goals that include the recruitment and retention of faculty and enhanced research facilities.
  • UH-Clear Lake - $155 million: UHCL is entering its second year as a four-year institution. Among its FY2016 goals are supporting student success and access initiatives. UHCL will dedicate $7.7 million in new resources toward student financial assistance, student and academic support initiatives, hiring new faculty, staff retention and instructional support. The institution also will continue to bolster its academic presence regionally and nationally by dedicating $1.5 million in new resources toward faculty recruitment, retention and development, and teaching/research resources.
  • UH-Downtown - $191 million: In recent years, UHD has seen an increase in its graduating classes, as well as increases in its number of minority graduates. In accordance with its strategic plan, UHD’s budget will support student success and national competitiveness initiatives. The institution will commit $5.8 million in new resources to support financial aid, student support, initiatives to increase student retention and graduation rates, academic facilities (library, labs) and equipment. UHD also will devote $2.4 million in new resources toward its national competitiveness goals, which include faculty recruitment and retention.
  • UH-Victoria - $80 million: UHV is entering its sixth year of downward expansion. Its FY2016 budget is focused on supporting its sustained growth. UHV is dedicating $2.5 million in new resources to support its continued downward expansion, student recruitment, retention and graduation initiatives, academic programs, new faculty and increased online curriculum. UHV also will devote $326,000 in new resources to its national competitiveness efforts, which includes the implementation of its Quality Enhancement Plan (required for accreditation) and bolstering faculty salaries.

For more details on the UH System and the UH System Board of Regents, visit http://www.uhsa.uh.edu/.