“A college education is more than getting a degree; it is about social mobility or helping people to move up on the social ladder. I am proud to say that the University of Houston ranks 39th in the nation on the social mobility index. No other Texas research university ranks even among the Top 100. Achievements like these do not happen on their own. They require a paradigm shift…a cultural adjustment. For us, this shift started a decade ago when we adopted a holistic approach and declared student success to be our no-excuse priority. We pledged to remove each and every barrier that stood in the way of students succeeding.”

— Fall Address 2020

“The University of Houston has a $6.4 billion impact on the economy of the region and supports over 61,000 jobs. Nonetheless, Houston is under transformation. Other than being strong in oil, gas, medicine, port trade and NASA, Houston vies to be a top destination for innovation and start-ups. In order to do so, Houston will not only need a larger workforce, but also a workforce that is hungry for innovation and that is not afraid of trying, failing and trying again. The University of Houston must rise to the occasion and be the engine that fuels Houston’s future economy. We will be looking to establish stronger partnerships and deeper collaborations in the region.”

— Fall Address 2019

“As we move forward, we have to remain focused on the big rocks that we have already started to move. Our first and foremost priority is to ensure that our students – regardless of the backgrounds they come from, and the risk or reward they bring with them – are successful. While we graduate nearly 10,000 students every year, we still have several who leave us without fulfilling their dream of a college education. We must always keep asking, what can we do more to help them be successful? And then do it… I also applaud the Board of Regents and the faculty for dreaming big and thinking forward, and for launching the UH College of Medicine to fill the shortage of 6,000-plus primary care physicians in Houston and Texas. With a strong portfolio of health care disciplines in the University, it is possible for us to introduce a program in medicine and help do what this University has always done – serving the people and the community!”

— Fall Address 2018

“I am gratified to share examples of tangible progress…. Our graduation rate has improved nearly one percent a year for the past 10 years. Enrollment has grown steadily, averaging a 3 percent increase every year. We have upgraded our campus with nearly $1.5 billion in construction to provide the classroom, lab, residential and administrative space required of a Tier One institution. And, most important, 88,000 students have enjoyed the life-affirming, society-enhancing experience of earning degrees at UH in the past decade.”

— President’s Report 2017