HR223 - Recognizing February 11, 2025, as University of Houston Day at the State Capitol.

      H.R. No. 223       R E S O L U T I O N          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