Houston Matters

Thursday’s Show: Greater Houston’s New Recovery Czars, Rice President David Leebron, And The Life Of DJ Screw (April 23, 2020)

Posted on · On Thursday's Houston Matters: We meet Greater Houston's new recovery czars, Rice University President David Leebron answers your questions, we discuss the role of social media in society, and we learn about a new onscreen depiction of the life of DJ Screw.

Houston Matters

Friday’s Show: Houston Food Bank Update, And Mixtape Vol. 2 (April 17, 2020)

Posted on · On Friday's Houston Matters: An update on the state of the Houston Food Bank, the president of the University of St. Thomas on the new normal at his institution, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week's news, and another Houston Matters Mixtape.

Houston Matters

The Challenges Facing Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Posted on · Historically black colleges and universities — or HBCUs — have fallen on some hard times lately: financial problems, low graduation rates — some have been denied accreditation. These and other challenges recently led Dr. John Rudley, the former president of Texas Southern University, to call being an HBCU President "one of the most stressful jobs […]

Houston Matters

New Chabad Directors Seek to Serve Jewish Students at Rice University

Posted on · Rabbi Shmuli Slonim and his wife Nechama Slonim are the new directors of the Chabad Jewish Center at Rice University, where they will serve Jewish undergraduate and graduate students. We talk with Rabbi Slonim about his journey from Australia to New York — and now to Houston. Plus we learn about the differences between Chabads […]

Houston Matters

A Growing Gap Between Mental Health Services and Needs on College Campuses

Posted on · A recent report in the Texas Tribune suggests access to mental health care for students on college campuses in Texas is at a breaking point. Counselors are burning out, pay is low and student mental health needs are surging. We learn more from Norma Ngo, the director of the University of Houston's counseling center, and […]

Houston Matters

Controversial Campus Carry Law Takes Effect at Texas Colleges

Posted on · Texas is joining eight other states that allow guns on campus. The controversial "campus carry" law takes effect today (Aug. 1, 2016). Now people with licenses can be armed at public colleges across Texas. To find out if they're ready here in Houston, News 88.7 education reporter Laura Isensee takes us on a campus tour […]

Houston Matters

Houston Higher Ed: Rice and UH Presidents Answer Your Questions

Posted on · From time to time, we invite the heads of Houston institutions to join us to discuss some of the challenges and opportunities they’re facing, and the role they play in the region. Today, we welcome Renu Khator, the Chancellor of the University of Houston System and President of UH, and David Leebron, the President of […]

Houston Matters

What Would UT Expansion in Houston Mean for Local Universities?

Posted on · Earlier this month, the University of Texas announced plans to buy land to build an ‘intellectual hub' here in Houston. The Houston Chronicle reported that UT Chancellor William McRaven wants the land to create a sort of collaboration and research center to bring new investment into Houston. However, the University of Houston is concerned that […]

Houston Matters

Are Sexual Assaults on Campus Up — Or Are More of Them Being Reported?

Posted on · According to an annual report colleges and universities are required to submit about — among other things — sexual assaults on campus, the number of such cases at Rice and the University of Houston has risen. Why? We ask Malkia Hutchinson, Program Coordinator at the Women and Gender Resource Center at the University Houston, and […]

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 […]

Houston Matters

What Could Colleges Do Better in Handling and Preventing Sexual Assault?

Posted on · This month, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights released a list of colleges being investigated for possible Title IX violations concerning how they handled complaints of sexual violence and harassment. Most of us are familiar with Title IX’s provisions for equal opportunities for women within college athletics, but the law which prohibits […]

Houston Matters

Are ROTC Programs Still Necessary?

Posted on · Last month, the Houston Chronicle reported on a review by the Government Accountability Office of eight of the state's 22 Reserve Officers Training Corps units – more commonly known as ROTC. In 2013, Congress eliminated a number of such units nationwide, as they weren't producing enough officers. That's the concern here in Texas as well. […]