Khator Lays Out Plans For Future of UH

When Dr. Renu Khator took office as the president and chancellor of the University of Houston in January, she had big plans for the future of this university. With her own ideas and those she gathered from the faculty, staff, and students, she knew that becoming a top-tier university was at the top of the list.

The university recently celebrated the Investiture of President Khator, and during the ceremony she outlined her specific plans and how she vows to take UH to the top. And attending dignitaries such as Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Houston Mayor Bill White put their support behind Khator in her venture.

“I’m impressed by her intellect, contagious enthusiasm, creativity and, yes, by her dogged determination to take this university and make it a Tier-One university,” said Dewhurst. He added that as the state’s population doubles over the next 20 years, “We will need a third Tier-One university. As a Houstonian, I think this (university) would be a great choice.”

White agreed, saying, “The University of Houston is the most important singular institution in the city. I commit to you to help you (Khator) lift the university even higher. The 2.2 million people in the Houston stand behind you and the University of Houston.”

In her speech to the more than 1,500 people in attendance, Khator announced four strategic initiatives aimed at the pursuit of excellence and the attainment of top-tier status for the university:

• The UH Energy Initiative will bring together 70 of the university’s top faculty from eight colleges, 14 centers and institutes, and multiple disciplines to pursue the highest and the broadest level of energy research, including fossil fuels, biofuels, wind and solar. Khator also announced the establishment of the Presidential Energy Advisory Board. “In partnership with our faculty-led Energy Alliance, the board will guide the University of Houston’s multi-million dollar investment in the field of energy and our desire to become the premier energy university of the nation,” she said.
  
  
• The UH Health Initiative will expand the university’s presence and its partnerships with Texas Medical Center institutions, filling gaps that currently exist and advancing strengths already in place. “I am pleased to announce we are launching the UH Health Initiative with the recruitment, in the next few weeks, of a mega cluster headed by a member of the National Academy of Sciences,” Khator said.
  
  
• The UH Arts Initiative will position the University of Houston as a world-class arts destination and as a national innovator in commissioning new work, employing and training thousands of artists and sponsoring world-class arts series. “We pledge to expand and strengthen our partnerships with area theaters, museums, performance venues and arts organizations,” Khator said. “Alongside, our faculty will strive for excellence in the liberal arts by pursuing a chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa.”
  
  
• The Star Initiative will complement the university’s existing commitment to strengthen its centers of excellence, which Khator called “our star programs” – nationally ranked programs that include entrepreneurship, health law, optometry, hotel and restaurant management, social work, psychology, chemical engineering, music, management and creative writing. “Under the fourth initiative, we plan to make our stars shine even brighter,” she said.
  

She also pledged a renewed emphasis beyond the classroom, including building a stronger athletics program, more residence halls, a better stadium, a more vibrant student life and more parking on campus.

“How will this bold vision become a reality? It will take this entire community to build a great university,” Khator said. “Your commitment and passion have the power to transform the University of Houston and make it a nationally and globally competitive university. To dream anything less is to shortchange our students, our region and our state.”