University of Houston

This article needs additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this articlebyadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:"University of Houston"–news·newspapers·books·scholar·JSTOR (May 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

University of Houston

Seal of University of Houston
Other names	UH, U of H, or Houston
Former names	Houston Junior College (1927–1934) University of Houston–University Park (1983–1991)
Motto	In Tempore(Latin)
Motto in English	"In Time"
Type	Publicresearch university
Established	March 7, 1927; 97 years ago(1927-03-07)
Founder	Edison E. Oberholtzer
Parent institution	University of Houston System
Accreditation	SACS
Academic affiliations	GCU ORAU URA USU
Endowment	$785.77 million (2023) (UH only)[1] $1.02 billion (2023) (system-wide)[1]
Budget	$1.47 billion (FY2024)[2]
President	Renu Khator
Provost	Diane Z. Chase[3]
Academic staff	3,263 (Fall 2023)[4]
Students	46,676 (Fall 2023)[4]
Undergraduates	37,356 (Fall 2023)[4]
Postgraduates	8,612 (Fall 2023)[4]
Other students	708 (Fall 2023)[4]
Location	Houston , Texas , United States 29°43′08″N95°20′21″W / 29.7189°N 95.3392°W /29.7189; -95.3392
Campus	Large city[5], 894 acres (362 hectares)
Other campuses	Sugar Land Katy
Newspaper	The Cougar
Colors	Scarlet Red Albino White[6]
Nickname	Cougars Coogs
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FBS– Big 12
Mascot	Shasta and Sasha
Website	uh.edu

TheUniversity of Houston(/ˈhjuːstən/^ⓘ;HEW-stən) is apublicresearch universityinHouston, Texas. It was established in 1927 asHouston Junior College, acoeducationalinstitution and one of multiplejunior collegesformed in the first decades of the 20th century.^[7][8]In 1934, HJC was restructured as a four-year degree-granting institution and renamed as theUniversity of Houston. In 1977, it became the founding member of theUniversity of Houston System. Today, Houston is thefourth-largestuniversity in Texas, awarding 11,156 degrees in 2023.^[4]As of 2024, it has a worldwide alumni base of 331,672.^[9]

The university consists of fifteen colleges and an interdisciplinary honors college offering some 310-degree programs and enrolls approximately 37,000 undergraduate and 8,600 graduate students.^[10][11][12]The university's campus, which is primarily in southeast Houston, spans 894 acres (3.62 km²), with the inclusion of its two instructional sites located inSugar LandandKaty.^[13]The university is also the founding campus of theUniversity of Houston System.^[14]

The university isclassifiedamong "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity"^{[15][16][17][18]}and spends approximately $240 million annually in research. The university operates more than 35 research centers and institutes on campus^[19][20]in areas such assuperconductivity, space commercialization and exploration,biomedicalsciences and engineering, energy and natural resources, andartificial intelligence.

The university has more than 500 student organizations and 17 intercollegiate sports teams.^[21]Its varsity athletic teams, known as theHouston Cougars, are members of theBig 12 Conferenceand compete in theNCAA Division Iin all sports. In 2021, the university received and accepted an invitation to join the Big 12 Conference.^[22]The football team regularly makesbowl gameappearances, and the men's basketball team has made 23 appearances in theNCAA Division I men's basketball tournament—including sixElite EightandFinal Fourappearances. The men's golf team has won16 national championships—the most in NCAA history.^[13]In 2022, UH's men's track and field team earned itsseventh Indoor Conference Championship title, and its swimming and diving team defended itsAmerican Athletic Conferencetitle for the sixth straight season.^[23][24]

The University of Houston began as Houston Junior College (HJC). On March 7, 1927, trustees of the Board of Education of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) unanimously signed a charter founding the junior college. The junior college was operated and administered by HISD.^[25][26]

HJC was originally located on the San Jacinto High School campus and offered only night courses to train future teachers.^[27]

Its first class began June 5, 1927, with an enrollment of 232 students and 12 faculty recruited from Rice University, the University of Texas and Sam Houston State Teacher's College.^[28]The first session accepted no freshman students, and its purpose was to mainly educate future teachers about the college.^[28]In the fall semester, HJC opened enrolled to high school students. By then, the college had 230 students and eight faculty members holding evening classes at San Jacinto High School and day classes in area churches.^[28]

HJC's first president wasEdison Ellsworth Oberholtzer, who was the dominant force in establishing the junior college.^[25][29]

The junior college became eligible to become a university in October 1933 when the governor of Texas,Miriam A. Ferguson, signed House Bill 194 into law. On September 11, 1933, Houston's Board of Education adopted a resolution to make HJC a four-year institution and changing its name to the University of Houston.^[30]Unanimously approved by the board, the formal charter of UH was passed April 30, 1934.^[28]

UH's first session as a four-year institution began June 4, 1934, at San Jacinto High School with an enrollment of 682. By the fall semester it had 909 students enrolled in classes taught by 39 faculty members in three colleges and schools – College of Arts and Sciences, College of Community Service and General College.^[28]In 1934, the first campus of the University of Houston was established at the Second Baptist Church at Milam and McGowen. The next fall, the campus was moved to the South Main Baptist Church on Main Street—between Richmond Avenue and Eagle Street—where it stayed for the next five years.^[30]In May 1935, the institution as a university held its first commencement atMiller Outdoor Theatre.^[31]

In the mission of finding UH a permanent home, heirs of philanthropists J. J. Settegast andBen Taubdonated 110 acres (0.45 km²) to the university for use as a permanent location in 1936.^[32]At this time, there was no road that led to the land tract, but in 1937, the city added Saint Bernard Street, which was later renamed to Cullen Boulevard.^[31]It would become a major thoroughfare of the campus. As a project of theNational Youth Administration, workers were paid fifty cents an hour to clear the land. In 1938,Hugh Roy Cullendonated $335,000 (equivalent to $7,251,205.67 in 2023) for the first building to be built at the location. TheRoy Gustav Cullen Memorial Buildingwas dedicated on June 4, 1939, and opened for classes officially on Wednesday, September 20, 1939.^[30]The building was the first air-conditioned college building constructed on a U.S. campus.^[28]A year after opening the new campus, the university had over 2,000 students.^[28]As World War II approached, enrollment decreased due to the draft and enlistments. The university was one of six colleges selected to train radio technicians in theV-12 Navy College Training Program.^[33][34]By the fall of 1943, there were only about 1,100 regular students at UH; thus, the 300 or so servicemen contributed in sustaining the faculty and facilities of the Engineering College. This training at UH continued until March 1945, with a total of 4,178 students.^[35]

On March 12, 1945, Senate Bill 207 was signed into law, removing the control of the University of Houston from HISD and placing it into the hands of a board of regents.^[30]In 1945, the university—which had grown too large and complex for the Houston school board to administer—became a private university.^[36]

In March 1947, the regents authorized creation of a law school at the university. In 1949, the M.D. Anderson Foundation made a $1.5 million gift to UH for the construction of a dedicated library building on the campus. By 1950, the educational plant at UH consisted of 12 permanent buildings. Enrollment was more than 14,000 with a full-time faculty of more than 300.^[25]KUHF, the university radio station, signed on in November. By 1951, UH had achieved the feat of being the second-largest university in the state of Texas.^{[citation needed]}

In 1953, the university establishedKUHT—the first educational television station in the nation—after the four yearlong Federal Communications Commission's television licensing freeze ended.^[25]During this period, however, the university as a private institution was facing financial troubles. Tuition failed to cover rising costs, and in turn, tuition increases caused a drop in enrollment.^{[citation needed]}That's when it was proposed that UH become a state-funded university.^[28]

After a lengthy battle between supporters of the University of Houston, led by school presidentA.D. Bruce,^[37]and forces from state universities, including the University of Texas, geared to block the change, Senate Bill 2 was passed on May 23, 1961, enabling the university to enter the state system in 1963.^[25]

The University of Houston, initially reserved for white and non-black students, was racially desegregated circa the 1960s as part of thecivil rights movements. A group of students called Afro-Americans for Black Liberation (AABL) advocated for desegregation in that period. Robinson Block, a UH undergraduate student writing forHouston History Magazine, stated that as local businesses and student organization remained segregated by race, the first group of black students "had a hard time".^[38]

As the University of Houston celebrated its 50th anniversary, the Texas Legislature formally established theUniversity of Houston Systemin 1977.Philip G. Hoffmanresigned from his position as president of UH and became the first chancellor of the University of Houston System. The University of Houston became the oldest and largest member institution in the UH System with nearly 30,000 students.

On April 26, 1983, the university appended its official name to University of Houston–University Park; however, the name was changed back to University of Houston on August 26, 1991.^[28][39]This name change was an effort by the UH System to give its flagship institution a distinctive name that would eliminate confusion with the University of Houston–Downtown (UHD), which is a separate and distinct degree-granting institution that is not part of the University of Houston.^[28]

In 1997, the administrations of the UH System and the University of Houston were combined under a single chief executive officer, with the dual title of chancellor of the UH System and president of the University of Houston.Arthur K. Smithbecame the first person to hold the combined position. Since 1997, the University of Houston System Administration has been located on campus in theEzekiel W. Cullen Building.

On October 15, 2007,Renu Khatorwas selected for the position of UH System chancellor and UH president.^[40]On November 5, 2007, Khator was confirmed as the third person to hold the dual title of UH System chancellor and UH president concurrently, and took office in January 2008.^[41]

In January 2011, the University of Houston was classified by theCarnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teachingas a research university with very high research activity.^[15][16][17]

UH is in southeast Houston, with an official address of 4800 Calhoun Road. It was known as University ofHouston–University Parkfrom 1983 to 1991.^[28][39]The campus spans 894 acres (3.62 km²) and is roughly bisected by Cullen Boulevard—a thoroughfare that has become synonymous with the university. The Third Ward Redevelopment Council defines the University of Houston as being part of theThird Ward.^[42]Melissa Correa ofKHOUalso stated that the university is in the Third Ward.^[43]

The university campus includes numerous green spaces, fountains and sculptures, including a work by famed sculptorJim Sanborn. Renowned architectsCésar PelliandPhilip Johnsonhave designed buildings on the UH campus.^[44]Recent campus beautification projects have garnered awards from the Keep Houston Beautiful group for improvements made to the Cullen Boulevard corridor.^[45]

UH is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System (UH System). It has additional instructional sites located in Sugar Land and Katy. The University ofHouston–Clear Lake(UHCL), the University of Houston–Downtown (UHD), and the University ofHouston–Victoria(UHV) are separate universities; they are not instructional sites of UH.

The University of Houston's campus framework has identified the following five core districts: the Central District, the Arts District, the Professional District, the Residential District, and the Athletics District. In addition, the campus contains several outlying areas not identified among the five districts.

The Central Distinct contains the academic core of the university and consists of the M.D. Anderson Library, the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, theCollege of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the College of Technology and the Honors College. The interior of the campus has the original buildings: theRoy G. Cullen Building, the Old Science Building, and theEzekiel W. Cullen Building. Academic and research facilities include theCullen Performance Hall, the Science and Engineering Research and Classroom Complex, andTexas Center for Superconductivityand various other science and liberal arts buildings. This area of campus features the reflecting pool at Cullen Family Plaza, the Lynn Eusan Park, and various plazas and green spaces.

The Arts District is located in the northern part of campus and is home to the university'sSchool of Art, theMoores School of Music, theSchool of Theatre and Dance, theGerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, and the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication. The district also has the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Performing Arts which houses the Lyndall Finley Wortham Theatre, the main stage of the School of Theatre and Dance, and Moores Opera Center. Other facilities include the Dudley Recital Hall and the Organ Recital Hall in the Fine Arts Building, the Quintero Theatre in the School of Theatre and Dance, and the Moores Opera House and Choral Recital Hall in the Moores School of Music Building.

The Professional District is located northeast and east of the university campus. The district has facilities of theUniversity of Houston Law Center, theCullen College of Engineeringand theC.T. Bauer College of Business. This area of campus is home to Calhoun Lofts, which is an upper-level and graduate housing facility. The East Parking Garage is located on the east end of the district. Adjacent to the district is the University Center (UC), the larger of two student unions on campus.

The Residential District is in the southern portion of the campus, along Wheeler Avenue and east of Martin Luther King Boulevard. This area has undergraduate dormitories, theConrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, now Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership, and theCollege of Optometry. Dormitory facilities include the twin 18-storyMoody Towers, Cougar Village, University Lofts, Cougar Place, and the recently demolished Quadrangle which had the following five separate halls: Oberholtzer, Bates, Taub, Settegast, and Law. The Quadrangle was rebuilt in 2020 and renamed The Quad, admitting sophomore level students and up. Adjacent to the Moody Towers and Lynn Eusan Park is the Hilton University of Houston Hotel.

The Athletics District covers the northwest and west part of campus. It includes athletic training facilities for UH sport teams and its stadiums. The western part of the district is home to TDECU Stadium, the football indoor practice facility and the Stadium Parking Garage. Across the parking garage, in the northwestern portion of the district, is the Hofheinz Pavilion. In 2018, the stadium was rebuilt and renamed to the Fertitta Center after UH received a $20 million donation from entrepreneur and UH System Board of Regents chairman Tilman Fertitta. Facilities surrounding the stadium are Carl Lewis International Track & Field Complex, Cougar Field, Softball Stadium, the Alumni Center and the Athletic Center.^[46]

The university's Energy Research Park is a research park specializing in energy research, consisting of 74 acres (0.30 km²) and 19 acres (0.077 km²) of undeveloped land.^[47]Much of the physical property was originally developed in 1953 by the oilfield services companySchlumbergeras its global headquarters. It was acquired by the university in 2009.^[48]

TheUniversity of Houston Librariesis the library system of the university. It consists of the M.D. Anderson Library and three branch libraries: the Music Library, William R. Jenkins Architecture, Design & Art Library and the Health Sciences Library. In addition to the libraries administered by the UH Libraries, the university also has the O'Quinn Law Library and the Conrad N. Hilton Library.

TheCullen Performance Hallis a 1,612 seat proscenium theater which offers a variety of events sponsored by departments and organizations at the university in addition to contemporary music concerts, opera, modern dance, and theatrical performances put on by groups in and outside the Houston area.^[49]TheBlaffer Art Museum, a contemporary art museum, exhibits the works of both international artists and those of students in the university'sSchool of Art.

The 264,000 square feet (24,500 m²) Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, which is home to the nation's largest collegiate natatorium, was recognized by the National Intramural-Sports Association as an outstanding facility upon its completion in 2004.^[50][51]

The LeRoy and Lucile Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting houses the studios and offices ofKUHTHoustonPBS, the nation's first public television station;^[52]KUHF(88.7 FM), Houston'sNPRstation; the Center for Public Policy Polling; and television studio labs.

The 200,000 sq ft (19,000 m²) Science and Engineering Complex (SEC) was designed by architectCésar Pelli's firm, Pelli, Clarke & Partners.^[53]It houses facilities for many interdisciplinary research programs at UH, including bionanotechnology.

The university has an on-campus Hilton hotel that is part of theConrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership. This hotel was established with a donation by the founder of Hilton Hotels,Conrad N. Hilton, and is staffed by students in the College of Global Hospitality Leadership.

The University of Houston operates a 250 acres (1.0 km²) branch campus in Sugar Land. The campus was founded in 1995 as a higher education "teaching center" of the University of Houston System. The branch campus has three buildings for exclusive use by the university: the Albert and Mamie George Building, Brazos Hall, and the College of Technology building. Additionally, the University Branch of theFort Bend County Librariessystem is located on the campus for use by students and the Sugar Land community.

The University of Houston (UH) is one of four separate and distinct institutions in theUniversity of Houston System, and was known as University ofHouston–University Parkfrom 1983 to 1991.^[28][39]UH is the flagship institution of the UH System. It is a multi-campus university with a branch campus located in Sugar Land. The University of Houston–Clear Lake (UHCL), the University of Houston–Downtown (UHD), and the University of Houston–Victoria (UHV) are stand-alone universities; they are not branch campuses of UH.

The organization and control of the UH is vested in the UH System Board of Regents. The board consists of nine members who are appointed by the governor for a six-year term and has all the rights, powers and duties that it has with respect to the organization and control of other institutions in the System; however, UH is maintained as a separate and distinct institution.

The president is the chief executive officer (CEO) of the University of Houston, and serves concurrently as chancellor of the UH System. The position is appointed by its board of regents. As of January 2008,Renu Khatorhas been president of the University of Houston and chancellor of the UH System.

The administrations of UH and the UH System are located on the university campus in theEzekiel W. Cullen Building. From 1961 until 1977, the Weingarten House inRiverside Terracehoused the president of UH.^[54]Currently, the chancellor/president resides in the Wortham House inBroadacres Historic District, provided by the UH System Board of Regents as part of the chancellor/president's employment contract.^[55]

Colleges	Founded
Junior College (defunct)	1927
General College (defunct)	1933
Graduate School	1939
Cullen College of Engineering	1941
College of Technology(defunct)	1941
College of Arts and Sciences (defunct)	1942
Bauer College of Business	1942
Downtown School (defunct)	1943
College of Education	1945
College of Pharmacy	1946
University of Houston Law Center	1947
College of Nursing (defunct)	1948
College of Optometry	1952
Hines College of Architecture and Design	1956
Graduate College of Social Work	1967
Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership	1969
College of Continuing Education	1974
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics	1975
College of Social Science (defunct)	1975
College of Humanities and Fine Arts (defunct)	1975
Hobby School of Public Affairs	1981
The Honors College	1993
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences	2000
Gessner College of Nursing	2015
Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts	2016
Fertitta Family College of Medicine	2019
References[56]

The university offers over 310-degree programs. With final approval of a PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders, a Doctorate in Nursing Practice, and a Doctorate in Medicine, university offers 51 doctoral degrees including three professional doctorate degrees in law, optometry, medicine and pharmacy.^{[20][57][58][59][60]}

In 2022, UH System Board of Regents unanimously approved the addition of a new degree program of the Bachelor of Arts in Mexican American and Latino/a Applied Studies. Being located in a city with a large Hispanic/Latino population, the degree aims to focus on the experiences and contributions of the Latino community in the United States.^[61]

UH is one of four public universities in Texas with aPhi Beta Kappachapter.^[62][63]The University of Houston's faculty includes National Medal of Science recipientPaul Chufrom thePhysics Department, and Nobel Peace Prize LaureateJody Williams.

The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) has the Creative Writing Program which includes founders such as alumnusDonald Barthelmeand offers degrees in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. TheGerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Designis one of only 36 schools to have an accreditation from the National Architectural Accrediting Board.^[64]

In August 2016, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved the creation of the Hobby School of Public Affairs.^[65]The school, named in honor of former Texas Lt. Gov.Bill Hobby, builds on the existing educational and research programs of the Center for Public Policy, which was founded at UH in 1981. The designation officially moves the Master of Public Policy Degree from the UH College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences to the Hobby School of Public Affairs and approves the addition of a Master of Public Policy degree as a dual degree with the Graduate College of Social Work's Master of Social Work.

In October 2018, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved the creation of the College of Medicine.^[66]A site has been selected for the college's new building, and the inaugural class entered in 2020.

Academic rankings
National
ARWU[67]	83–99
Forbes[68]	152
U.S. News & World Report[69]	133(tie)
Washington Monthly[70]	208
WSJ/College Pulse[71]	208
Global
ARWU[72]	301–400
QS[73]	651–660
THE[74]	501–600
U.S. News & World Report[75]	421(tie)

National Program Rankings (as of 2024)[76]
Program	Ranking
Biological Sciences	175(tie)
Business	56
Chemistry	81(tie)
Clinical Psychology	56(tie)
Computer Science	110(tie)
Earth Sciences	70(tie)
Economics	65(tie)
Education	63(tie)
Engineering	68(tie)
English	82(tie)
Fine Arts	124(tie)
History	81(tie)
Law	68(tie)
Mathematics	91(tie)
Medicine: Primary Care	Unranked
Medicine: Research	Unranked
Pharmacy	41(tie)
Physics	89(tie)
Political Science	50(tie)
Psychology	122(tie)
Public Affairs	76(tie)
Social Work	67(tie)
Speech-Language Pathology	44(tie)

Global Program Rankings (as of 2024)[77]
Program	Ranking
Biology & Biochemistry	645(tie)
Chemistry	308(tie)
Civil Engineering	162
Clinical Medicine	488(tie)
Computer Science	313(tie)
Economics & Business	232
Electrical & Electronic Engineering	70
Energy & Fuels	256(tie)
Engineering	232(tie)
Environment/Ecology	630(tie)
Geosciences	269
Materials Science	192
Mathematics	456(tie)
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	230(tie)
Neuroscience & Behavior	492(tie)
Physical Chemistry	263(tie)
Physics	490(tie)
Psychiatry/Psychology	255(tie)
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health	410(tie)
Social Sciences & Public Health	217(tie)

UH was ranked in the top 50 colleges for Social Mobility in U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges Rankings.^[78]The Princeton Review has listed UH as one of America's best colleges.^[79]The institution is among the Top 300 in the global Academic Ranking of World Universities.^[72]

TheUniversity of Houston Law Centerwas ranked tied for 60th among the nation's "Best Law Schools" inU.S. News & World Report,5th in the state of Texas and 58th in the nation in 2023.^[80][81]U.S. News & World Reportranked theC.T. Bauer College of Businessas the top Undergraduate Business Program in Houston, 5th among public universities in the state of Texas. TheConrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadershipranked 8th in the nation for its Hospitality & Leisure Management program and 19th for Hospitality and Tourism Management.^[82][83]The University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work ranked 28th nationally by theU.S. News & World Report2022 Best Schools for Social Work ranking. The Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at theC.T. Bauer College of Businessundergraduate program for Entrepreneurship consistently ranks in the top 10 in the nation.The Princeton ReviewandEntrepreneurmagazine ranked the program No. 1 in 2019, 2020 and 2021.^[84][85]

School	Founded	2022 Undergraduate Enrollment[86]	2022 Graduate Enrollment[86]
University of Houston	1927	37,282	9,418
Medicine	2019	N/A	120
Pharmacy	1946	N/A	550
Law	1947	N/A	825
Optometry	1952	N/A	419
Architecture	1956	824	89
Business	1942	6,369	1,189
Engineering	1941	3,209	1,659
Education	1945	2,663	850
Public Affairs	1981	47	45
Social Work	1967	N/A	544
Arts	2016	1,082	247
Liberal arts & Social Sciences	2000	10,621	980
Natural Sciences	1975	4,789	1,100
Technology	1941	4,704	549
Hospitality	1969	633	127
Nursing	2015	277	102

The Carnegie Foundation classifies UH as a doctoral degree-granting institution with "highest research activity."^[15][16][17]The designation recognizes it as one of only nine universities in Texas with the classification.^[15][16][87]

According to theNational Science Foundation, UH spent $177 million on research and development in 2018, ranking it 123rd in the nation.^[88]It operates more than 40 research centers and institutes on campus,^[89][90][91]and through these facilities, UH maintains partnerships with government, health care and private industry.^[92]Areas of interdisciplinary research include nanotechnology, superconductivity, space commercialization and exploration, biomedical sciences and engineering, energy and natural resources, and artificial intelligence.^{[93][94][95][96]}

The university has five institutional research thrusts to address several research challenges aimed at economic development and improving the quality of life. The five thrusts include: Cyber and Physical Security, Drug Discovery and Development, Sustainable Communities and Infrastructure, Energy Security and Transition, and Accessible Health Care.^[97]

In 2018, UH launched its 50in5 initiative. Led by the Provost Paula Short and Vice President for Research Amr Elnashai, the university is working to increase research by 50 percent in five years. This includes the doubling of UH's national centers from five to 10, thereby improving its position for the Association of American University's membership.^[98]

In 2022, UH received $4 million for the expansion of its Center of Economic Inclusion.^[99]

Student body composition as of May 2, 2022

Race and ethnicity[100]	Total
Hispanic	37%	37
Asian	23%	23
White	21%	21
Black	10%	10
Other[a]	5%	5
Foreign national	4%	4
Economic diversity
Low-income[b]	44%	44
Affluent[c]	56%	56

The University of Houston is notable for its diverse student body, andU.S. News & World Reportranks the university as the second-most ethnically diverse research university in the United States.^[101]UH's Asian and Hispanic student population is among the highest in the state. Due to the high percentage of Hispanic students on campus, UH has been deemed aHispanic-serving institution. Its international student population is primarily from Asia.

Located in the Fine Arts Building,Blaffer Art Museumis a contemporary art museum dedicated to emerging, mid-career, and underrepresented artists and bodies of work through exhibitions, publications, and public programs. Its educational programs include public lectures, artists' talks, docent tours, audio guides, and youth programs such as Studio Saturday, Summer Arts, and the Young Artist Apprenticeship Program.

TheCullen Performance Hallis a 1,612 seat proscenium theater located near Entrance 1. The hall offers a variety of events sponsored by departments and organizations at the university in addition to contemporary music concerts, opera, modern dance, and theatrical performances put on by groups in and outside the Houston area.^[102]

TheMoores School of Musicpresents concerts in various campus venues: Dudley Recital Hall and the Organ Recital Hall in the Fine Arts Building, and in the Moores Opera House and Choral Recital Hall in the music building. Musical events range from opera to jazz with performers including students, faculty, and guest artists.

TheSchool of Theatre and Danceoffers a subscription series of five plays each year. Works by classical and modern dramatists, as well as new musical collaborators, are seen in full productions or "gypsy runthroughs."

TheSchool of Artexhibits young artists several times a year, including the Master of Fine Arts exhibition held traditionally near the end of the spring semester in the Blaffer Art Museum. The School of Art also hosts presentations by numerous visiting artists and art historians throughout the academic year.

UH has several on campus dormitories: Moody Towers, The Quad, Cougar Village I & II, Cougar Place, University Lofts, Bayou Oaks, Cullen Oaks, and Cambridge Oaks.

Moody Towers, frequently just called "Moody," is one of the tallest complexes on campus and the largest area of residence halls. Each of the two towers consists of eighteen stories and together house 1,100 students. The Towers feature a newly renovated dining hall. The rooms in Moody were renovated during the summer of 2011.

The Quad is the newest dorm on campus, having been completed in the Fall of 2020. Named after the former dorms, "The Quadrangle," there are laundry facilities on each floor, as well as a recreational facility, computer lab, and an outdoor courtyard. An extension of The Quad, the Townhouses are single-student dorms right across from The Quad. In total, The Quad and Townhouses combine for 7 buildings that house almost 1,200 students.

In August 2009, University Lofts—a university-owned and operated residential facility aimed at graduate and professional students—opened and includes retail stores, lecture halls, and recreation facilities.

Cougar Village I & II are a freshman, including first year Honors students, dorm which opened in August 2010 and August 2013, respectively. The dormitory features themed floors with kitchens and lounges, a tutoring center, computer labs, multi-purpose rooms, study areas, a convenience store, a laundry facility, and a fitness center. Cougar Village I & II are exclusive only to freshman and Honors College students.^[103]

In addition to traditional dormitories, Cougar Place was an apartment-style housing complex consisting of 400 units. Cougar Place has since been demolished as of 2013^[update]and has been replaced with a new on-campus housing complex for sophomores.^[104]The university has privately owned apartment complexes on campus: Cullen Oaks, Bayou Oaks, and Cambridge Oaks.

In June 2017, a divided panel of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuitfound that the university did not violate the Constitution'sDue Process ClauseorTitle IXwhen it expelled both a student for committing acampus sexual assaultin a dorm room then abandoning the nude victim in a dorm elevator, as well as his girlfriend, who had recorded the assault and shared the video on social media.^[105][106]

The official student newspaper isThe Cougar, formerlyThe Daily Cougar, and has been published since 1927.^[30]Students also produce theHoustonianmagazine, which is for graduating students;Cooglife, a monthly lifestyle magazine; andTransitions, a magazine for incoming students.

CoogTVis a live student-run TV network that appears on the University of Houston cable network.

CoogRadio, UH's student-run college radio station, made its debut on August 29, 2011.^[107]

The seal of the University of Houston, officially adopted in 1938, is a stylized version of the coat-of-arms of GeneralSam Houston. The first official version was placed on the floor of theRoy Gustav Cullen Building.^[108]

UH's official colors are scarlet red and albino white. These were the colors of Sam Houston's ancestor,Sir Hugh de Paduinan, and were adopted by UH at the same time as the official seal. Scarlet red symbolizes courage or inner strength to face the unknown, and white symbolizes the goodness and purity of spirit embodied in helping one's fellow man.^[109]

Cougar Red Friday is part of the ongoing Keep Houston Red initiative at the University of Houston. Students and staff are encouraged to wear red shirts on Friday to show pride for the university.^[110]

The school's official mascot is acougar, which was adopted in 1947 and later namedShasta.^[111]The university owned a series of female cougars, but this tradition ceased in 1989, upon the death ofShasta V. When a cougar cub was orphaned in Washington State and moved to theHouston Zooin 2011, the university adopted it as its first live male cougar mascot and he was named Shasta VI.^[112][113]Shasta VI passed away in August 2022 from a progressive spinal disease. In November of the same year, the Houston Zoo received two orphaned male cubs from Washington State Fish & Wildlife Services and decided the cubs would carry the long-standing tradition of representing the University of Houston as Shasta VII and Louie.^[113]

The Frontiersmen—initially exclusive to members of theSigma Chifraternity, but later opened membership to the entire student body—is a group of students who participate in university events to drive school spirit. At football games, the Frontiersmen—donning cowboy hats, jeans anddustersfor attire—run across the field with the university's flag and the Texas flag after each score.

The BLAZE is an oil field warning siren, operated by the Frontiersmen, that was chosen to represent the university's ties to the petroleum industry. The purchase of the siren was completed in 1991. The Sigma Chi Fraternity has overseen the siren and gave it the name "The BLAZE" in honor of its fallen brother, David Blazek.^[28]

Frontier Fiesta—a re-creation of a 19th-century Western town, with music, food and historical exhibits—is a major event on campus each spring semester. The student-led festival is a part of a long-standing tradition dating back to the 1940s established by Gan Bey which later became the Sigma Chi Fraternity's Epsilon Xi chapter at UH.^[114]Frontier Fiesta attained widespread notoriety when the Sigma Chi variety show performance known as "Bella Union" garnered national attention on the cover ofLifemagazine as "The Greatest College Show on Earth" and soon-after drew crowds numbered in the tens of thousands from all across the country to participate in the festivities.

Cougar First Impressions—a program headed by the UH Staff Council—takes place every year on the first two days of classes, when faculty and staff turn out to welcome new and returning students.^[115]

Weeks of Welcome is another program welcoming students to the university. Over the span of two weeks, departments and student organizations help students learn more about the university with a variety of events.^[116]

The Cougar Paw is a popular hand sign used by University of Houston students, faculty, alumni, and athletics fans to represent camaraderie and support. The Cougar Paw tradition was adopted through several athletics events between the University of Houston and the University of Texas.

The University of Houston and the University of Texas played their first football game against one another in 1953. Since this was their first meeting, members ofAlpha Phi Omega—the service fraternity in charge of taking care ofShasta I, the university's mascot—brought her to the game. During the trip, Shasta's front paw was caught in the car door and one toe was cut off. At the game, several Longhorn players saw what had happened and began taunting UH players by holding up their hands with the ring finger bent, suggesting the Cougars were invalids. Texas went on to win this game 28–7. UH students had been using the victory sign as a hand signal up to that time but they began using the bent-finger sign as a reminder that they would remember the taunts.^[28]

The Cougars did not play the Longhorns again until 1968. With UH fans holding up the new sign of Cougar pride, UH played UT to a 20–20 tie. They didn't meet again until 1976, the first year UH was a member of theSouthwest Conference. In front of a record crowd at Texas' Memorial Stadium, UH defeated UT 30–0, a rout that signaled the beginning of the end for legendary Texas coachDarrell Royal. This solidified the use of the Cougar Paw as a tradition.^[108]

UH's 17-sport intercollegiate program is a member of theBig 12 Conference. Houston was previously a member ofConference USA, of which it was a member from the time the conference was formed in 1995 until 2013, when they joined theAmerican Athletic Conference. During that time span, the Cougars won 33 C-USA titles. Prior to 1995, Houston was a member of theSouthwest Conference.

After 61 years of athletics at UH, other notable achievements include 16 national titles inmen's golf, one national title in cross country, six NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four appearances, and two College World Series appearances.

More than 50 Olympic athletes have attended UH, bringing home 33 medals, including 19 gold.^[117]Former Olympian and UH alumnusCarl Lewisreturned as the men's track and field head coach in 2022.^[118]In April 2014,Kelvin Sampsonwas named the eighth men's basketball head coach. Ronald Hughey is the current women's basketball coach. On January 1, 2019,Dana Holgorsenwas named head coach of the Cougar football team.

UH has many recreational sport clubs, includingrugby,NCWAwrestling, soccer, tennis,water polo,kendo,esportsand gymnastics.

In addition to varsity sports, the University of Houston offers a variety of intramural sports programs.

The university has an intercollegiate sports program that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The NCAA'sDivision Isports at the University of Houston include baseball, basketball, cross country, American football, golf, and track and field for men; basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and field for women.

TheHouston Cougars footballteam has made 27 post-season bowl appearances and has to its credit severalSouthwest Conferencechampionships andCotton Bowl Classicappearances, as well as the 2006 Conference USA Championship^[119]and the 2015 American Athletic Conference championship. The 1989 Heisman Trophy winner,Andre Ware, was a Cougar.

Themen's basketballteam has made 23NCAA Tournamentappearances, with six trips to the Final Four. See alsoPhi Slama Jama, the Cougars teams of the early 1980s that featuredNBAlegendsClyde DrexlerandHakeem Olajuwon.

Houston competes with other notable sports teams, such as thebaseballteam, which has made 21 NCAA Tournament appearances with two trips to the College World Series; themen's golfteam, which has won 16 NCAA National Championships; the women's soccer team, which was rated as the top first-year women's program in the country in 1998; the swimming and diving teams, which have spawned multiple Olympians and All-Americans; the track and field team, which perennially ranks in the top 10 as an NCAA team; and the volleyball team, which had a streak of ten consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament.

• Notable University of Houston alumni include:
• 
  Fred Couples, professional golfer
• 
  Clyde Drexler, Basketball Hall of Famemember
• 
  Bonnie J. Dunbar, former NASAastronaut
• 
  Elvin Hayes, 12-time NBA All-Star
• 
  Lizzo, Grammy Award-winning singer
• 
  Case Keenum, NFL Quarterback
• 
  Hakeem Olajuwon, 1994 NBA MVP
• 
  Jim Parsons, Emmy Award-winning actor
• 
  Wade Phillips, NFLCoach
• 
  Jack Valenti, former president of the Motion Picture Association
• 
  Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts

Jack Valenti, long-time president of the Motion Picture Association of America, creator of the MPAA film rating system, and a special assistant in theLyndon B. Johnsonadministration, received his B.B.A. from UH. Artist and filmmakerJulian Schnabelis also an alumnus.

Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., aka Lil Wayne, is a hip-hop artist from New Orleans. He enrolled in 2005 but dropped out shortly after.

Alice Sebold, a novelist known forLuckyandThe Lovely Bones, andMatt Mullenweg, creator of WordPress (the most popular, open-source blogging platform), also attended the university.

Notable athletes within the list include NFL playersWilson Whitley,Glenn Montgomery,Alfred Oglesby,Craig Veasey,Donnie Avery,David Klingler,Kevin Kolb,Billy Milner,Sebastian Vollmer,Case Keenum, and Heisman Trophy winnerAndre Ware; baseball starsDoug Drabek,Michael Bourn, andBrad Lincoln; golfersFred Couples,Billy Ray Brown,Steve Elkington, andFuzzy Zoeller; track and field legendsCarl LewisandLeroy Burrell; NBA basketball playersHakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon,Clyde "The Glide" Drexlerand"The Big E" Elvin Hayesas well asBo Outlaw,Don Chaney,Michael Young,Damon Jones,Carl HerreraandOtis Birdsong; and legendaryDallas CowboyscoachTom Landry. The owner of theSan Diego Padresand noted philanthropistJohn Mooresholds both undergraduate and law degrees.Wade Phillips, a former head coach of theDenver Broncos,Buffalo Bills, and Dallas Cowboys, is a UH alumnus as well.

Elizabeth Warren, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts, a 2020 U.S. presidential candidate, and formerly a Harvard Law School faculty member and chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel created to oversee the U.S. banking bailout during the 2008–2009 financial crisis, received her B.S. from UH in 1970.Tom DeLay, a former member and majority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, who represented Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1984 until 2006, also attended the University of Houston. Other politicians who attended UH includeGene Green, a Democratic politician and a U.S. congressman from the state of Texas representing that state's 29th congressional district, which includes most of eastern Houston, along with large portions of Houston's eastern suburbs; andTed Poe, a Republican politician currently representing Texas's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. Poe's district includes most of northern Houston, as well as most of the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area.

Other alumni includeJim Parsons, star of the television seriesThe Big Bang Theory,Brent SpinerofStar Trek: The Next Generation, actorsRobert Wuhl,Loretta Devine,Dennis Quaid,Randy Quaid,Brett Cullen, comedianBill Hicksand former attorney and talk show hostStar Jones,Project RunwaycontestantsChloe DaoandLaura Bennett, sportscastersJim NantzandRobert Flores, YouTuberLiza Koshy, singer and rapperLizzo, and country music starsLarry GatlinandKenny Rogers.

Crystle Stewart,Miss USA 2008is a former student at the university, last attending in 2007.Jason Alkire, an artist and fashion designer, is a graduate as well.^[120]

Notable Texas politicians who are graduates of the UH Political Science program includeAlfred H. Bennett, U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas;^[121]Carol Alvarado, Texas State senator for District 6;^[122]James White (Texas politician), State Representative Texas House District 19,^[123]Dylan Osborne, Harris County Treasurer; and Odus Evbagharu, Harris County Democratic Party Chair.^[124]

• Block, Robinson (December 2010)."Afro-Americans for Black Liberation and the Fight for Civil Rights at the University of Houston"(PDF).Houston History Magazine.8(1): 24–28.

• Adair, Wendy & Gutiérrez, Oscar (2001).The University of Houston: Our Time: Celebrating 75 Years of Learning and Leading. The Donning Company Publishers.ISBN1-57864-143-8.
• Nicholson, Patrick J (1977).In Time: An Anecdotal History of the First Fifty Years of the University of Houston. Pacesetter Press.ISBN0-88415-371-1.

Media related toUniversity of Houstonat Wikimedia Commons

• Official website
• University of Houston Athletics website