Tag: college

Houston Matters

Mother-Daughter Team Pens Guide to the College Admission Process

Posted on · As part of our 2014 summer reading series, we spoke with Judith Widener Muir, who had written a book about how to insulate teenagers from the stresses of what she called "college frenzy, achievement mania, and media explosion." Muir is a college counselor – so is her daughter Katrin Lau. The two Houstonians have now […]

Houston Matters

State Goal: Get 60 Percent of Texans a College Degree By 2030

Posted on · Last month, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopted a new plan called 60x30TX. The overarching goal: to get 60 percent of Texans between 25 and 34 a college degree or certificate by 2030. The coordinating board says the goal focuses on 25 to 34-year-olds as an indicator of the economic future of the state […]

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Chris Bell Mayoral Candidate Interview: Tuesday’s show (August 11, 2015)

Posted on · Starting today, and for the next several Tuesdays on Houston Matters, we offer you a chance to speak directly with the major candidates running to be the next mayor of the city of Houston. We start on this edition with Chris Bell. He’s a former City Council Member and former U.S. Congressman. He’s also an […]

Houston Matters

Efforts Help Schools Hire More College Guidance Counselors

Posted on · Many high schools and middle schools in Houston have a shortage of counselors to help students prepare for college. Counselors at some area schools are responsible for more than 500 students, and they’re often asked to do duties outside the realm of college advising, like cafeteria duty or administrative tasks. But there are some efforts […]

Houston Matters

Programs Help First-Generation College Students Succeed

Posted on · Almost one third of all U.S. undergraduate students are the first in their family to attend college. They're called first-generation students, and they face a lot of challenges to reach college. Then, once they get on campus, they're more likely to leave higher education. At the University of St. Thomas, there's a group to support […]

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The State of Houston’s Health: Tuesday’s Show (April 14, 2015)

Posted on · On this edition of Houston Matters, we continue our week-long series exploring "The State of Houston" with a conversation about Greater Houston's health and healthcare. We talk with News 88.7 Health and Science Reporter Carrie Feibel. Then: Houston's climate is so moderate that there are a number of growing seasons. So what should we — […]

Houston Matters

Rice President David Leebron Discusses the State of the University

Posted on · David Leebron has been President of Rice University, since 2004. (He’s just the seventh person to hold the post). Under his watch, Rice has seen significant increases in undergraduate enrollment, the launch of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, new residential colleges, new buildings on campus, and visits from important figures ranging from former President […]

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Rice President and Grit: Tuesday’s Show (March 17, 2015)

Posted on · David Leebron has been President of Rice University, since 2004. (He’s just the seventh person to hold the post). Under his watch, Rice has seen significant increases in undergraduate enrollment, the launch of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, new residential colleges, new buildings on campus, and visits from important figures ranging from former President […]

Houston Matters

Could Tuition Regulation Return to Texas Universities? And Lingering Concerns Over TDECU Stadium Contracts

Posted on · We talk with Benjamin Wermund, Higher Education Reporter from the Houston Chronicle, about a pair of stories in higher ed. First: we discuss Texas lawmakers’ efforts to weigh a tuition deregulation decision made more than a decade ago. Back in 2003, the Texas Legislature had to make some budget cuts. The effect of those cuts […]

Houston Matters

Should Tuition Benefits for Texas Vets Extend to Those Who Lived Elsewhere When They Enlisted?

Posted on · The Hazlewood Act in Texas provides veterans (and some children of veterans) exemptions from some tuition and fee charges at public colleges and universities here. It’s awarded regardless of financial need. But historically, it has required the veteran to be a resident of Texas at enlistment. That wasn’t the case for Keith Harris. He enlisted […]

Houston Matters

A Different College Experience: No Semesters – All Online

Posted on · This weekend, nearly 900 students graduated from Western Governors University – Texas at a ceremony in Houston. WGU is geared toward non-traditional students – the average age of their students is 39. The online university offers an approach called competency-based education, where the focus is on what a student learns and not on fulfilling a […]

Houston Matters

Why Do Sexual Assaults on Campus Spike During the Fall?

Posted on · Two former University of Houston students are suing the school claiming they were denied due process after being expelled following an investigation in connection with an alleged sexual assault on campus. In November 2011, Ryan McConnell's girlfriend Natalie Plummer recorded video of him cheating on her with another female student. Both McConnell and the other […]

Houston Matters

Advice for Starting Life with Student Debt

Posted on · A recent report places Houston in the top third among cities nationwide when it comes to affordability for first-time home-buyers. The financial pressure becomes greater when that home buyer is saddled with student debt. Another recent report finds college graduates in Harris County with student loans to repay have to earn, on average, $7,000 more […]