University of Houston–Victoria

History

The University of Houston–Victoria began as an effort in the late 1960s by the local community to bring a higher learning institution to Victoria. In 1971, the Coordinating Board of Texas College and University System created an off-campus center of the University of Houston known as the University of Houston Victoria Center. One hundred students enrolled at the center in its inaugural semester of spring 1973.

In April 1983, the Texas legislature passed Senate Bill 235, which granted the institution permanent degree-granting status in the state of Texas. The University of Houston Victoria Center was renamed the University of Houston–Victoria, and became the University of Houston System's fourth university.

UHV started its athletics program during the 2007-08 school year with the Jaguars baseball and softball team. Since then, the teams have competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Soccer and golf programs for both men and women began in fall 2010.

In October 2008, the UH System Board of Regents adopted a resolution authorizing UHV to seek enabling state legislation to add freshmen and sophomores. In the 81st Texas legislative session, Texas State Representative Geanie Morrison of Victoria introduced House Bill 1056, which would allow UHV to expand, and Texas State Senator Glenn Hegar introduced an identical bill, Senate Bill 567. Texas Governor Rick Perry signed HB 1056 into law on June 19, 2009. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools approved UHV to admit underclassmen and offer lower-division courses on November 17, 2009, and UHV also received its first freshman application the same day. UHV’s first freshmen and sophomores started taking classes in fall 2010, and the university’s first residence hall, Jaguar Hall, opened on the Victoria campus.

Institutional structure

The University of Houston–Victoria (UHV) is one of four separate and distinct institutions in the University of Houston System. The institution is separately accredited, offers its own academic programs and confers its own degrees, and has its own administration. UHV is a stand-alone university; it is not a branch campus of the University of Houston (UH). Although UHV and UH are both component institutions of the University of Houston System, they are separate degree-granting universities.

The organization and control of the University of Houston–Victoria is vested in the Board of Regents of the University of Houston System. The Board has all the rights, powers, and duties that it has with respect to the organization and control of other institutions in the System; however, UHV is maintained as a separate and distinct institution.

Administration

The president is the chief executive officer of the University of Houston–Victoria, and the position reports to the chancellor of the University of Houston System. The president is appointed by the chancellor and confirmed by the Board of Regents of the University of Houston System. Since April 21, 2015, Dr. Vic Morgan has served as the interim president.

Academics

The University of Houston–Victoria (UHV) is separately accredited, offers its own academic programs, and confers its own degrees. UHV is a stand-alone university; it is not a branch campus of the University of Houston (UH). Although UHV and UH are both component institutions of the University of Houston System, they are separate degree-granting universities. Students who graduate from UHV will have diplomas under the name University of Houston–Victoria.

While previously an upper-division and graduate school only, UHV expanded in fall 2010 to admit freshmen and sophomores. UHV consists of four academic colleges: the School of Arts & Sciences, the School of Business Administration, the School of Education & Human Development, and the School of Nursing. Each school offers both undergraduate degrees and master’s degrees.

School of Arts & Sciences

The School of Arts & Sciences offers flexible course scheduling through online classes and off-site courses, in addition to the traditional on-campus classes. The School of Arts & Sciences offers a range of programs in the divisions of Humanities; Science, Technology and Mathematics; and Social & Behavioral Sciences. It is home to the literary institutions American Book Review, Fiction Collective Two, symplokē and Cuneiform Press. It also houses the Society for Critical Exchange, Dalkey Press and Centro Victoria.

School of Business Administration

The University of Houston–Victoria's School of Business offers high quality degree programs face-to-face or 100% online. The school is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

School of Education & Human Development

The School of Education, Health Professions, and Human Development offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees. The undergraduate degree is for those seeking elementary, middle and secondary teaching careers or a career in health studies as a public health educator.

Faculty

Currently, the university has a 17-to-1 ratio and an average class size of 20 students.Faculty members are as global as the perspectives they bring to the classroom. Instructors come from Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba, Belarus, India, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Russia, Taiwan and Thailand.

Honor societies with UHV chapters include Phi Kappa Phi, Gamma Beta Phi, Chi Sigma Iota, Psi Chi and Kappa Delta Pi.

Degree in Three

UHV was the first Texas public university to offer an accelerated program where students can earn a complete, 120-credit-hour bachelor's degree in just three years. Degree in Three, or Dn3, lets students earn a degree in Communication, Criminal Justice, English, History or Psychology.

Campus

The campus of UHV is located in Victoria, which is part of the Texas Coastal Bend region. It is approximately 30 miles (48 km) from the Gulf of Mexico. The university is nearly equidistant by about 125 miles (201 km) from the cities of Houston, San Antonio and Austin. The Victoria campus consists of about 20 acres (81,000 m2) of land.

The Victoria campus shares some of its facilities with Victoria College. This includes a bookstore/student center, a four-story library with more than 185,000 items in their collection and a fitness center that includes a gym and weight room.

Student life

Jaguar Hall is one of three of UHV’s residence halls. Jaguar Hall also has an on-site dining room and is located a short, 10-minute walk to the UHV campus.

The university opened its second residential hall, Jaguar Court and Jaguar Suites opened in fall 2013 and is the UHV's third residential hall.

Student Learning Commons and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) buildings will be opened fall 2017.

Athletics

Houston–Victoria (UHV) teams, nicknamed athletically as the Jaguars, are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). UHV is one of two University of Houston System member schools with a varsity athletic program.

Formerly competing as an Independent within NAIA's Association of Independent Institutions (AII), the Jaguars joined the NAIA's Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) beginning with the 2015-16 season.

The Jaguars field teams in golf (men's and women's), soccer (men's and women's), baseball (men's), and softball (women's).

Baseball

The Jaguars baseball team has won back-to-back Association of Independent Institutions (AII) conference championships (2009, 2010). The team plays its home games at Riverside Stadium in Victoria, Texas. Head coach Terry Puhl is a former outfielder for the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals. Puhl also is a Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Texas Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, and served as head coach for the Canadian national baseball team in a win over Cuba at the Olympic qualifier in 2006 and at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Softball

The Jaguars softball team won the first Association of Independent Institutions conference championship, finished 11th in the nation in 2009 and was ranked 21st in 2010. The Jaguar softball team won its second A.I.I. conference title in May 2013. The Jaguars moved on to the opening round of the NAIA national championship where they were defeated by Lubbock Christian University, finishing the season ranked 18th. The team plays its home games at Victoria's Youth Sports Complex located in Victoria, Texas. The Jaguars are coached by Keri Lambeth, former catcher for the Houston Cougars softball team and former graduate assistant coach for the George Washington Colonials.

Soccer

The Jaguars men’s and women’s teams began in fall 2010. A soccer field, dubbed “The Cage” by players, was constructed on the UHV campus, and the men’s and women’s teams hosted the first on-campus home games ever during their fall campaign.

The men’s team, coached by Adrian Rigby, finished 3-11-1 in its inaugural season. Defender Lenox Evans was named to the 2010 Association of Independent Institutions all-conference team.

The women’s team finished 2-11 in its inaugural season.

Golf

UHV men’s and women’s golf teams began in fall 2010. The teams entered the 2011 spring season ranked No. 4 (men) and No. 5 (women) in conference pre-season polls. The squads practice and host meets at Victoria Country Club.

Notable alumni