January 19, 2016

Dear Students, 

Welcome back to campus!  I hope you are starting the semester as energized and inspired as I am by that spectacular Peach Bowl win on New Year’s Eve.  My congratulations to the student-athletes on our football team and to Head Coach Tom Herman and his entire staff, and my gratitude to the hundreds of students who made the trek to Atlanta to cheer your team to victory.

Just a few days ago I posted a blog where I wrote that, if there is one lesson 2015 taught me, it was to “think, act and play like a winner.”  Our football players certainly did. Your fellow students who won national and international competitions throughout the year did.  And our dedicated faculty and administrators who brought a chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society to campus did, too.  

In each case, students, faculty and administrators never doubted, never complained and never paused.  They all stayed the course and won.  I encourage you to keep those examples in your mind and then “think, act and play like a winner” in your studies and in your personal life.

As you may have heard me say before, Student Success is my administration’s top priority, and we will do all we can to help you stay in school and graduate in a timely manner, well prepared for any career and any challenge.  Always remember that every service we provide, every building we construct, every professor we hire and every scholarship we award has one common purpose – to ensure your personal success. 

But Student Success also requires commitment from you.

So, I encourage you to stick to your academic plan and take only the classes you need to complete your degree.  If you have an academic-related problem, seek help from your advisor, your TA or your professor.  And finally, take advantage of the opportunities that our multi-cultural campus provides.  Consider joining any of the 500-plus student organizations that can provide you with a support base of like-minded students and lifelong friends. 

To show your spirit and pride, please continue wearing red, especially on Cougar Red Fridays, and make the most of your college years.  Your time here, and what you make of it, will serve you well during your lifetime, and ensure you will be able to look back and say to yourself, “I am a winner!” 

With warm regards,

Renu Khator
Chancellor/President
University of Houston