page_title: University of Houston–Downtown
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: University of Houston–Downtown / History
caption_attribution_description: English: The Merchants and Manufacturers Building at 1 Main St., Houston (Texas, USA) is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, United States Department of the Interior.
context_page_description: The University of Houston–Downtown is a public university in Houston, Texas. It is part of the University of Houston System. Its campus spans 40 acres in Downtown Houston, with a satellite location in northwestern Harris County. Founded in 1974, UHD is the second-largest university in the Houston area with more than 14,000 students.
  The university serves students in four academic colleges. UHD offers 52 degree programs: 45 bachelors and seven masters. Awarding more than 2,400 degrees annually, the university has more than 40,000 alumni.
context_section_description: Recognizing the need for a university presence in Downtown Houston, the Board of Regents of the University of Houston acquired the assets of South Texas Junior College on August 6, 1974 and opened the University of Houston–Downtown College (UH/DC) as a four-year institution under the organization and control of the University of Houston.  By August 1979, it became a stand-alone university when the 66th Texas Legislature established UH/DC as a separate and distinct institution in the University of Houston System.
  The college's first four-year degree was a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice and resident students attended for $4 per credit hour.  The school purchased its first and only dormitory in 1981.  The dormitory, formerly the Harley Hotel located at 101 Main Street and known as the University Center, remained in the university's possession until 1991 when it was demolished in favor of renovation.
  On April 26, 1983, the word "College" was dropped from the institution's name to become University of Houston–Downtown (UHD).  During this decade when Houston was booming, UHD succeeded in having the Merchants and Manufacturers Building named to the National Register of Historic Places, degree programs continued to grow, and UHD's first Red Rose Ball became a signature fundraiser. Tuition increased in 1984 to $12 per credit hour.  By fall 1988, more than 8,300 students were enrolled on campus.
  In 1992, Max Castillo came from San Antonio College to lead the university.  During the 1990s, UHD focused on becoming a metropolitan university—appealing to traditional students as well as working professionals.  During the early 1990s, UHD also began key partnerships with community colleges and it moved to meet greater Houston's demand for qualified teachers when it added a teacher certification program in urban education. During this time, the Weekend College Program began and a new Academic Building and the Jesse H. Jones Student Life Center opened.
  As the 1990s ended, UHD moved ahead again, earning full approval from the Texas Legislature and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to offer graduate programs; the University's first master's degree in criminal justice was approved. UHD also began offering degree programs at Lone Star College–University Center and eventually at the UH System teaching center in Cinco Ranch. UHD's expansion and growth continued as a new millennium arrived. Master's degree programs in criminal justice and teaching were added. Physical growth also continued and the Willow Street Pump Station was renovated while a new, bricked-face Commerce Street Building opened at the corner of Commerce Street and Main Street—providing a new home for the College of Public Service. As UHD grew so did the number of students participating in commencement. In 2002, UHD became the first university to award degrees in Minute Maid Park. UHD won national recognition for its wireless campus and the Bachelor of Business Administration degree program in general business became the university's first on-line degree. In November 2007, the Shea Street Building opened as the new home of the UHD's College of Business.
  After 38 years as an open admission institution, the Board of Regents of the UH System approved admission standards for UHD in February 2012. The new admission standards went into effect for applicants entering the university in fall 2013 and onward.
caption: One Main Building (formerly Merchants and Manufacturers Building)
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