UHD Gateway Course Redesign Initiative Receives Academic Excellence Award
Article from UH Newsroom - August 07, 2017
The University of Houston System Board of Regents presented the Regents’ Academic
Excellence Award to the University of Houston-Downtown’s Gateway Course Redesign Initiative.
The award recognizes University of Houston System institutions’ programs and initiatives
that exemplify excellence in teaching, research and/or public service.
The Gateway Course Redesign Initiative has evolved, starting with a grant in 2000
aimed at improving outcomes for at-risk underrepresented minority students. The program
was expanded through the 2006 Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) at UHD to encourage the
development of active classroom engagement strategies. Efforts focused on improving
key gateway courses in College Algebra, English Composition II and U.S. History I.
Through additional grants from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)
from 2011-2016, the program expanded to include additional courses.
“With a focus on collaborative faculty development and redesign of primarily first-year
courses, the initiative targets critical early interventions to the most frequent
and continuous touch points the institution has with students – the faculty and classroom”
said Edward Hugetz, interim senior vice president for academic and student affairs
and provost at UHD.
Dr. Gregory Dement accepted the Regents’ Academic Excellence Award on behalf of University
of Houston Downtown. Pictured (L to R): Regent Tilman Fertitta, UHD Associate Dean
of the University College William Waller, UHD Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence
Director Gregory Dement, Chancellor Renu Khator and UHD President Juan Sánchez Muñoz.
The initiative has continued to succeed, receiving numerous grants from the THECB
and strongly influencing current course design. The Gateway Course Redesign Initiative
has encouraged collaboration with local, regional and national institutions to further
encourage success strategies and best practices. Data practices have been published
at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Student Success Summit, the JNGI
Gateway Course Conference, and the SACS/COC Annual Meeting.
The most significant impact can be seen in the number of students earning a passing
grade (A, B, or C) in key gateway courses. Beginning in 2011, the percentage of students
earning a passing grade rose from 54 percent to 74 percent. U.S. History I has seen
the passing rate increase from 52 percent to 71 percent since 2006. Other courses
that have seen similar significant changes include Integrated Reading and Writing;
College, Intermediate and Beginning Algebra; College Math for Liberal Arts; General
Biology I, General Chemistry I, and Federal Government.
