It was tongue and cheek….
This thread has gotten some contrasting views showing up.
Placing part time students into satellite campuses like they are not worth as much as fans is one. Even if less become fans, then you still lose that smaller percentage. It seems in contrast with the many other threads that reference R1 and AAU since those standings impact graduate students more. Those also will have a lower return on “fandom” in many cases as they already have a prior school. Should they also be relegated to satellite campuses or is there a double standard?
I also think the living on campus has a big impact on long term loyalty if the experience is good. On campus stadiums help that a lot. Speaking from experience, I lived on campus for undergrad and it was very different from living off campus for grad work even when full time for both and both have good interaction with classmates. Being a college sports fan, I am in the minority of grad fandom as I am here.
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I don’t think it’s the part time students….
I think there is simply a large amount of students that are admitted that care nothing about school spirit, participating in the college experience, etc.
They are there to get their degree and nothing else….if they don’t engage in any of the above things while in school they are certainly not going to after graduation.
The group of students I speak of have great value to every campus….but I’d rather not have a student body that resembles Rice….not saying the students need to be involved in Greek life( it’s not for everyone) but we do need students that are well rounded and will enjoy the many aspects of college.
I do feel like we are headed in that direction and with inclusion to the Big 12 we should get more students that are interested in extracurricular activities.
I could see the NIL situation leading to a drop in scholarship and program donations, in addition to the normal challenges. The escalating ticket prices will also make it tough unless football wins big. B12 opponents will definitely help with engagement and interest, though.
I’m always amazed (in a bad way) at the number of donors that are on the Cougar Pride list every year. It’s growing, but it needs to grow much faster.
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I’m curious about what percentage of UH students went to high school in Harris County. The reason being, it’s my perception that fewer students from Harris County high schools attend school sporting events than those in distant 'burbs and small towns. I’m speculating that those students from Harris County high schools don’t arrive at UH with a tradition of supporting sports teams. I went to hs in small town Texas and literally 50-70 percent of our entire town went to football games. Probably 90% of our high school did.
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For games we can’t sell out, we ought to be filling the stadium with HISD class trips. Seems like something we should have been doing during our time in the AAC and C*USA.
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I dont think that will be neccesary in 2023
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Stealth,
Along those same lines, our higher percentage of international and first-generation American students probably has an impact as well. It’s a worthwhile tradeoff; I am proud that our University is so ethnically diverse. The fact that fewer of our students grow up immersed in the cult of American football means it’s harder for us to create that kind of loyalty to the athletic programs, but again, there are more important things than football. And I think we’re on the upswing, regardless.
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The first game I attended at the Dome was after the Coogs won their first SWC championship. It was mid-season and there weren’t 30k in the house and, best I could tell, other than the band, there was no student section. Those that I assumed to be students were scattered around the stadium. Having on-campus housing and an actual student section will build loyalty, eventually.
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I wonder if they have done recent studies on the new students about their sports interest growing up or current?
I’m curious about what percentage of UH students went to high school in Harris County.
Looks to be about 51.8 % from Harris County and another 26.6 from adjacent counties.
Student Residency
Number Percent
Texas
Harris County 24,365 51.8
Adjacent Counties
12,497 26.6
Other Texas Counties
5,186 11.0
Subtotal Texas
42,048 89.4
Out-of-State
1,364 2.9
International
3,619 7.7
Subtotal Non Resident
4,983 10.6
Total
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The College of Technology has the 4th highest enrollment of the 17 fields. Why is it being moved to the Sugar Land campus?
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Good question. Not sure what the answer is there. Perhaps the Sugar Land campus now has facilities better suited to that sort of training and education, but to be honest, I don’t really know.
Seems like that’s a large chunk of undergraduates (over 5K according to that .pdf) who will largely the lack the on-campus experience often needed to create school/athletic loyalty and get involved in campus life.
Do those students still take all of their “core” courses and open electives at UH main campus, and only their major courses at Sugar Land?
I’d be curious to know more about that.
Maybe its temporary? I had to take a class or two in that building and it was pretty bad. They could be renovating it
The old building or the two story one?
If they let UConn out for $17 mil, then that sets the upper limit.
Squeeze Aresco.
They built a huge dedicated building out there back in 2019.
I think I recall reading that it was part of trying to increase our footprint to grow enrollment overall.
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And those Technology students will be many of the high-earners at graduation.
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OK, so do those same students have to take all of their required “core” courses and open electives back on UH main campus, or can they do their entire degree in Sugar Land?
It’s still part of the main campus, so that would depend on their degree plan, I suppose. Also, it’s still in the process of migrating to Sugar Land, which is supposed to be complete around 2025.
It seems like the way we used to think about the location of classes probably isn’t going to be the same in the future. I would anticipate that many students who enroll in Technology programs could choose to take the majority of their coursework in Sugar Land. Getting those folks engaged with athletics will be the same challenge as getting alums to come in from the suburbs.