REMARKS BY DR. MAX CASTILLO
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-DOWNTOWN
CONVOCATION AUGUST 30, 2007

Good afternoon and welcome to UHD's Fall 2007 Convocation.

I always feel honored to preside over convocation, but I am especially proud to be here today, having just completed my 15th year at UHD.   People tell me I haven't changed a bit.   But, what an experience it has been.   I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

I also feel privileged to have been asked to teach a doctoral seminar in the History and Philosophy of Higher Education for the College of Education at UH this fall.   As a matter of fact, I've already held two class meetings.   For their edification, I had the class come here this Monday.

I am reminded that many of the challenges we currently face come directly out of our history.

UHD has a relatively short but meaningful history.   We are young enough, and fortunate enough, to still have some among us who share UHD's entire history.   And, she's sitting right here on the front row!   With good reason, we take pride in the accomplishments we have achieved and in the reputation we have carved out for ourselves over the past 33 years.

Just in the fifteen years that I've had the privilege of serving as President at UHD, we've gone from 22 bachelor's degree programs to almost 40 with a couple of others on the way.   A major shift for UHD was, of course, the approval to offer master's degrees.   We now offer four and are experiencing an enrollment increase in our master's programs this fall.

We've increased our campus size from one building to three and our enrollment from 8092 to almost 12,000.   I recall the excitement we all felt when we broke the 10,000 barrier for the first time in 2002.

When I arrived, we started our first venture into distance learning.   We offered one telecourse, a taped version of Gerontology.   Now fast-forward to today:   5% of our semester credit hours are generated through distance education--that's online, through ITV; and at three other locations.   Also during this time, we moved from in-person registration to telephone registration.   Then we abandoned telephone registration to online registration, eliminating all but one or two of the long lines that used to announce registration season at UHD.

When I look at the present I see some important activities happening that will situate us to move into the future.   The College of Business is busy exploring an exciting new program in Insurance and Risk Management and is now home to the new Institute for Financial Literacy.   The Library, which has not enjoyed physical growth since 1982, will begin its long awaited expansion project this fall.   We are undergoing a Web Redesign Project that will update our online presence and our global initiatives have increased significantly in all our colleges.   And, i am very pleased to tell you that the university has been the recipient of several major grants this past year, totaling almost $6 million!

It is important to recognize that we've been able to accomplish these things because we've been flexible, we've adapted to changing times.   And that is something to be proud of, something we can call upon as we contemplate our next ten to fifteen years.

While reflection is easy, looking forward is not; however, it is necessary to any institution that hopes to effectively serve our changing population.

That is what I ask of everyone today, that we all begin to look forward.

When I put these remarks together, all indications were that our enrollment would be down, or at best flat!.   Instead, I get to stand up here today and give everyone the good news that as of today, we have a hard-won increase of 3.5% in both paid headcount and semester credit hours this fall.   while we won't have official numbers until the 20th class day, This is especially significant as UHD has begun the process of moving away from Sugarland and toward the growing Northwest Corridor area.   I applaud every one of you for the role you have played in this accomplishment.

Still, it is no secret to anyone that our enrollment has been flat and even down over the past couple of years.   After a long period of steady growth, it has been sobering to realize that our enrollment growth has slowed.   In fact, prior to this past Fall, I think we had not had a decline in enrollment in a long semester since 1995.

Although I am not overly concerned about our recent enrollment slumps and don't want to belabor the point, enrollment volatility has become a fact of life in higher education.   We are not alone in this predicament.   Many colleges and universities throughout the U.S. have been experiencing the same.   In fact, it is actually healthy for us to go through periods of slowed enrollment.   It gives us time to reflect, to regroup and to consider new directions.

And, that is what I want to do now.

First, let me offer some context for this instability we've experienced in enrollment.   A number of factors have come together to impact higher education in general; some have even begun to directly impact us at UHD.

Changes in the way higher education is viewed have been afoot for awhile.   Just a few years ago when the nation began to fully grasp that its demographics were changing dramatically and rapidly, most states experienced budget deficits that set off a spate of tuition de-regulation laws.   At the same time, the current administration in Washington began to publicize that the United States was falling behind in its ability to compete with other nations in the critical fields of sciences and technology.

On the one hand, higher education was being charged with several significant tasks:

On the other hand, we were being sent the message through changes in state funding that higher education was no longer seen as a public good, but as a private benefit.   With state appropriations greatly reduced, colleges and universities took advantage of de-regulation laws and increased tuition and fees--to the surprise and outrage of no one and everyone.

That controversy was the backdrop for two reports published in 2006 that illustrate some of the conflict we are experiencing as a nation in how we view higher education.

One was the report by the National Conference of State Legislatures:   Transforming Higher Education:   National Imperative--State Responsibility .   The other, commissioned by Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings, was entitled A Test of Leadership:   Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education.  

While I don't place too much significance on the reports themselves, I do recognize that even these groups make up a part of our constituency.   Their remarks, whether accolades or indictments, can be looked at as a barometer of sorts for where the nation stands on the topic of education in general.

The report by the National Conference of State Legislatures begins with these words:   "There is a crisis in American higher education."   It goes on to encapsulate quite well the fear that I see driving the current scrutiny of higher education.   It reads:

"It has become clear that the states and the federal government have neglected their responsibilities to ensure a high-quality education for all citizens....As a result, U.S. citizens are not achieving their full potential, state economies are suffering, and the United States is less competitive in the global economy."

The report continues with:   "It is up to the states--and specifically state legislators--to alter the course of higher education."

Now that is a scary thought.

I agree with the National Conference of State Legislatures on one point.   There is a crisis in higher education.   But the crisis is in our inability to redefine ourselves, in our unwillingness to create new policies, practices and procedures that will help us deal effectively with the issues facing us today.

There is a quote from the Spellings report that I like quite a lot.   It says:   "History is littered with examples of industries that, at their peril, failed to respond to--or even notice--changes in the world around them..."

We are not the same institutions we were.   Our students are not the same students.   Our nation is not the same nation.   We cannot continue to apply 19th, even 20th century policy solutions to 21st century challenges.  

What are some of those challenges?

Transformative changes in demographics

In the 80's and 90's, Houston's economy and ethnic makeup began to change significantly.

According to data from Stephen Klineberg's Houston Area Survey, Houston's population in 1980 was 62.7% Anglo, 19.7% African American and 15.5% Hispanic.   In 2005, that had shifted to 37.9% Anglo, 17.8% African American and 37.8% Hispanic.  

Changing ethnic patterns are not the only population shifts that are occurring that will have an impact on higher education.   The traditional American population is also aging at a remarkable rate.   For instance, in Houston, Anglos make up 71.3% of the over 60 age-group while Hispanics make up only 9.7.   In the 18-29 year-old group, however, Anglos make up only 26.9% while the group is an astounding 43.6% Hispanic!

What a shift these numbers represent!   And what a challenge, even for urban institutions like UHD whose diversity has long been applauded.

Closing the Gaps

Largely in response to the changes in population, the State created Closing the Gaps by 2015 , its ambitious roadmap for increasing access to higher education.   The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board says about the goals outlined in Closing the Gaps: "Meeting those goals means a bright future of economic vitality, social independence, and civic engagement for the citizens of Texas. Not meeting those goals means a future of lower household incomes, more stress on social services, and fewer people capable of participating as contributing citizens to our great state ."

Closing the Gaps sets a goal of an increase of 600,000 in enrollment in state institutions and community colleges by 2015; however, much of the focus of the plan is on enrollment and graduation of ethnic minorities and on graduation from the critical fields of sciences and technology.   Fortunately for UHD, we have always exceeded the enrollment goals imposed by the state.   But, without the proper financial support from the state, these kinds of enrollment and graduation goals are at best empty and at worst a burden to institutions.

Timely graduation initiatives

And, this is not the only burden.   As state budget deficits emerged, legislators began a campaign to save state money by encouraging institutions to decrease the amount of time students are taking to graduate.   That is if you can call financial disincentives encouragement.   Some of the legislation they have enacted that directly impacts students and, our enrollment, include limits on:

Increased emphasis on accountability

All the hype about the crisis in higher education has caused an outcry for increased accountability, which typically means increased assessment and performance measures.   While assessment can demonstrate to your constituents that your institution is worth a substantial investment of time and money, when applied haphazardly, it can become little more than a mathematical exercise.   Either way, an increase in accountability translates into a need for additional resources.

Changing enrollment patterns

Once upon a time the dictate in higher education was that a good economy means low enrollments and a bad economy means high ones.   But, we can no longer rely on that old adage.   Today's rules are much more complicated with the economy being only a part of the picture.   Other factors coming into play include:

We can view these issues as a crisis in higher education, or we can view them as challenges and opportunities for change.

But, one thing is certain...in order for UHD to successfully navigate these challenges, we must plan for the future.

For that reason, we have embarked upon a strategic planning process that will help us chart a course for continued success.

The planning process will be intensive, taking place during this fall semester.   The majority of the work will be done by a forty-member Leadership Group, a broadly representative committee of individuals from both the university and external communities.

If you are not a member of the leadership group, please don't feel left out.   You will still have an important role to play in this planning process.   We want as many of you as possible to have the opportunity to provide your thoughts and ideas, to offer your input about what UHD should be doing and where UHD should be going over the next five to fifteen years.   I will count on your participation to make this process productive and successful.

We have contracted with Academic Leadership Associates to help us undertake this task.   They will come to campus to lead five days of intensive planning sessions during the semester.   In between those visits the real work will take place, all the gathering and analyzing of the information needed to make sound decisions..   That, of course, is where you will have your opportunity to assist.

In order to make sure as many perspectives as possible are represented, a series of focus groups will be held throughout the semester.   We have created a website specifically for strategic planning that you will be able to visit for status updates on the project or to give feedback on work that has been done.   Regular updates will be sent to the university community to keep everyone up to date on the process and you will be invited to comment on the direction the project is taking.

As we contemplate undertaking a strategic planning project of this type, it is important that we consider several broad issues before us.

Energy and sustainability

Green issues have taken on such global importance that we in higher education must sit up and pay careful attention.   It is imperative that we determine what our response to sustainability should be.   Not only are we heavy users of resources, but we are in a unique position to equip the students who pass through our doors with the knowledge and tools they need to improve our environment.   Or, as the American Association of Sustainability in Higher Education has put it:

"Leading society to reverse human-induced global warming is a task that fits squarely into the educational, research, and public service missions of higher education. There is no other institution in society that has the influence, the critical mass and the diversity of skills needed to successfully make this transformation."

In fact, the State of Texas has just passed new legislation that will both encourage and require reductions in energy consumption.   State agencies like UHD, for example, will be required to reduce electricity use by 5% per year for the next six years.

Sustainability, though, is about much more than global warming.   It is a philosophy that encourages effective, careful use of resources, whether those be natural resources, dollars, services, individuals, or programs.   It is a concept worth keeping in the forefront of our minds as we plan for the future

Globalization

Globalization may sound like a tired topic, but, it is one that is so important to the adequate preparation of our students, that it must also be given strong attention.   It is crucial that students entering the workplace be given sound experience in approaching issues from a global perspective.

A hallmark of international exposure for students has been the study abroad program.   These programs, though valuable, assume that students are able to take a semester or more away from their homes to immerse themselves in another culture.   Many of our students, perhaps most, don't have the time or flexibility to participate in such programs.   Though we do have several international and study abroad programs in place, we need to take a hard look at how we might make global initiatives available to all students in all programs.

National higher education leadership groups are beginning to embrace global learning.   In the report College Learning for the New Global Century , the National Council for Liberal Education and the Association of American Colleges and Universities recommend "more integration and application of learning to a diverse and global economy."

Interdisciplinary collaboration

One of the things I most admire about UHD is our ability to work collaboratively.   Some of that has been a direct outgrowth of our compact campus and close community.   As we expand, however, it will become increasingly important to have mechanisms in place that encourage working together across disciplines.   We have done that well so far with our graduate, teacher education, and Learner's Community programs.   And our work on such projects as the QEP and Achieving the Dream have demonstrated some commitment to carrying collaborative efforts into the future.

Community/civic engagement

What we are now experiencing in higher education--and UHD is no exception--is a shift from a 20th century mindset of campus-based insularity to a 21st century model of mutual exchange and partnership.   UHD has a strong mission statement.   Though we will remain true to that mission, I believe future growth will depend upon our ability to reach out and form new and innovative partnerships.   Again, this is not a new concept to us.   This Fall, for instance, we began a dual credit pilot program with Jeff Davis High School.   In a different kind of partnership, we built the new Shea Street building that we'll see later today.

UHD is also a member of the Texas Campus Compact, along with 32 community colleges and 28 other colleges and universities in the state.   These member schools, along with over 1,000 nation-wide, have embraced the ideal of civic service as a moral responsibility of higher education.

In response, UHD has already transformed its old Volunteer Center into a new Community Involvement Center and will soon be hiring our new Director of Service Learning.   Though volunteerism and service learning are not synonymous, they complement each other quite well.   Both promote civic engagement and social responsibility and both help meet pressing societal needs.   However, where volunteerism is a one-sided, often spontaneous activity in which someone gives of his or her time, money or other resources, service learning is a well-planned compact between the educational institution, the student and the service recipient.   Service learning is a process of engagement in which the student is literally learning by providing service.

Studies abound that tie service-learning to improvements in overall learning.   Dr. Judith Ramsey of the National Science Center Foundation put it well when she said:   "If we want our students to lead creative, productive, and responsible lives, we must give them opportunities to learn in ways that have consequences for others, as well as for themselves....At its best, a service-learning experience can be transformative. Clearly learning within a context of responsibility is powerful."

Just as it is with the global warming crisis, higher education is in a unique position to influence generations of students who can make a significant difference in the quality of our communities and, therefore, our lives.

These are not isolated issues at all, but ones that are closely intertwined.   They are simple issues, but ones that require well thought-out responses.   They will also require us to change.   It is my belief that the strategic planning process we set out on today will help us decide how to navigate the so called "crisis in higher education".   It is my sincere hope that this process will help us determine what is expected of us in this changing environment and, perhaps, what we should expect of ourselves.

So, in closing, I encourage each of you to become involved in this process.   I hope you will join me in planning UHD's future.