TITLE: Recognizing February 11, 2025, as University of Houston Day at the State Capitol.

SUMMARY: Recognizing February 11, 2025, as University of Houston Day at the State Capitol.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Students, faculty, staff, alumni, administrators, and members of the board of regents from the University of Houston are visiting Austin on February 11, 2025, to participate in University of Houston Day at the State Capitol; and WHEREAS, The Tier One university is located in the nation's fourth-largest city, and it serves students at instructional sites in Sugar Land and Katy as well as at the UH Technology Bridge; the institution is located within a region that is home to a quarter of the state's population and that generates nearly a third of the state's gross product; the student body, numbering more than 46,600, including many first-generation college students, mirrors the rich cultural tapestry of Houston; and WHEREAS, Each year, the university awards over 11,000 degrees in 281 undergraduate and graduate academic programs; it now counts more than 332,900 alumni, many of whom stay in Texas, where they contribute to the success of our communities and state; and WHEREAS, In the 17th year under the leadership of president Renu Khator, the University of Houston has set its sights on being ranked among our country's top 50 public universities, which will be achieved as a result of rapidly improving graduation rates, the ability to improve the social mobility of its students, and the recognition of the research excellence of its faculty; and WHEREAS, The Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, established after the passage of H.B. 826 during the 86th Texas Legislative Session, was founded on a social mission to improve health in underserved communities in Houston and across Texas; the college emphasizes the importance primary care plays in the health of all Texans, especially in urban and rural communities, and in four years, it has already graduated its first class of doctors and has a current enrollment of 210 students; and WHEREAS, The University of Houston is helping to improve the health of Texans, with one in four UH students enrolled in a health-related program; the university provides 450,000 hours of patient care in clinical and community settings annually in a variety of fields across Texas, and 85 percent of its graduates in health-related fields are employed in Texas; and WHEREAS, The university is home to 12 nationally funded research centers and 27 university research centers and institutes, and it has spent over $230 million in research expenditures annually, mainly in the critical areas of cyber-and national security, drug discovery and development, sustainable communities and infrastructure, and accessible health care; and WHEREAS, The University of Houston athletics competes in 17 different sports with more than 400 student-athletes; several of the athletic teams have represented the university on the national stage, including the Cougar men's basketball team led by head coach Kelvin Sampson that has advanced to five NCAA Sweet Sixteen tournaments in a row; following in the footsteps of the previous year's team, the 2023-2024 team earned a No. 1 ranking in the country, generating nationwide support and excitement similar to the Phi Slama Jama era in the early 1980s; beginning in the summer of 2023, Houston now competes in a Power 5 conference after its acceptance to join the Big 12 Conference; and WHEREAS, For nearly a century, the University of Houston has contributed significantly to creating generation after generation of productive and responsible citizens; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas Legislature hereby recognize February 11, 2025, as University of Houston Day at the State Capitol and extend to all participants sincere best wishes for an informative and enjoyable visit. Jones of Harris Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 223 was adopted by the House on March 13, 2025, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House