307-Acres Near NRG Stadium (Formerly UT Research Campus Proposal)

[samagon]

Oooh, can we talk about the $5.2 million UT paid it's previous football coach to do even less for UT?

 

Or maybe the $19 million that UT paid to have him replaced with Tom Herman?

http://www.hookem.com/story/much-costing-texas-get-tom-herman-19-million/

 

as one commenter stated: with that kind of investment anything less than a national championship is subpar.

 

I'll grant you that they make a lot of money on football, so academics are a different story, but still, these are some pretty stunning numbers, and then to get bent out of shape that someone in charge of academics gets paid a lot?

 

regarding calling UHD a dropout factory, here's a good story to read:

http://www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/article/Olivas-Drop-out-factory-report-doesn-t-reveal-9198606.php

Edited March 3, 2017 by samagon

[KinkaidAlum]

2 hours ago, iah77 said:

You do realize UCLA has to share it's turf with over 10 large public campuses right?:

Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, Cal State San Bernardino, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Dominguez hills, Call State Long Beach, Cal State La, ect not including 10 + private universities. 

 

UH needs to stop being a crooked institution. Renu Khantor is the HIGHEST paid public university president at 1.3 million USD and literally chairs over UHD which is labeled by the department of education as a DROPOUT factory... like seriously?  https://www.texastribune.org/2016/07/17/three-top-four-highest-paid-university-executives-/ 

 

UH is not preparing the graduates we need neither in quality or quantity. 

Is this what Houston deserves? Absolutely not

 

 

Kellyanne, is that you? That's some good spin. Texas violates state law, spends hundreds of millions without approval, and then gets shut down when lawmakers look into the deal and UH is crooked? I bet you blame Hillary for the Russian specter. 

 

[nyc_tex]

19 hours ago, KinkaidAlum said:

Kellyanne, is that you? That's some good spin. Texas violates state law, spends hundreds of millions without approval, and then gets shut down when lawmakers look into the deal and UH is crooked? I bet you blame Hillary for the Russian specter. 

 

 

Not that there's much to add, but the entire metro LA area is well over 2X the amount of people than Houston and the state of California didn't even begin the entire Cal State system (along with Irvine, Riverside and others) until the early 1960s. Also, the California public educational system wasn't created as a cabal to over fund 2 universities at the expense of all the other public state colleges and schools like what happened in TX. 

 

I have no doubt the UH contingent and Khator would have been fully supportive of a new UT-Houston branch if UT and A&M and the lawmakers of the state revised the constitution and opened up the PUF to fund all the top R1 schools in the state equally rather than allow UT to open a campus in Houston only to give it disproportionate funds to create redundant programs, departments and schools to siphon off top faculty and student talent, social and economic capital from UH to stifle it's academic growth and tremendous potential. The myopia and prejudice of this state's leaders over 20th century is astounding - to blame UH for any of this is blaming the victim (which is most middle and working class residents of Texas).  Besides, public, non-profit services are not created to compete with each other.

 

Edited March 4, 2017 by nyc_tex

[ADCS]

Again, the fact that the PUF is continually brought up just serves to demonstrate that this is about bureaucratic politics, rather than what's actually good for the state. Bring up UCLA all you want, but notice the "UC" there: they're part of the same system as UC - Berkeley and all their sister institutions, and subject to systemwide oversight (with considerable independence). If UH wants that PUF money, and to exist within a known successful framework, then they should be looking at a merger with UT or A&M, rather than engaging in spiteful turf wars.

Edited March 6, 2017 by ADCS

[iah77]

2 hours ago, ADCS said:

Again, the fact that the PUF is continually brought up just serves to demonstrate that this is about bureaucratic politics, rather than what's actually good for the state. Bring up UCLA all you want, but notice the "UC" there: they're part of the same system as UC - Berkeley and all their sister institutions, and subject to systemwide oversight (with considerable independence). If UH wants that PUF money, and to exist within a known successful framework, then they should be looking at a merger with UT or A&M, rather than engaging in spiteful turf wars.

 

Exactly; the amount of "privilege" on this forum is crazy. Fascinating these comments come from people who obviously consider themselves better educated and more cosmopolitan with references to NYC, Boston, Kinkaid etc as if no one else here has lived in NYC or gone to a preparatory school. The fact is that education is a right and not a privilege and that by granting UH a monopoly on a decent public education in Houston you are denying education to people in the Houston community who would benefit from another option. 

 

UH exist for the benefit of the Houston population, not the other way around...

Edited March 6, 2017 by iah77

[KinkaidAlum]

Funny how people supporting UH are seen as the ones with privilege. Why must you feel the need to attend a University of Texas branch? Why do you assume the University of Houston is the only option for decent public education in this region? Are you unaware of how many other public options there are in southeast Texas or are you just too good for those schools?

 

The fact of the matter is there are just four public schools and five overall in the state of Texas that are in the World University top 400 AND designated by the Carnegie Foundation at the highest level (doctoral granting with highest research activity). Those five in order of ranking;

 

University of Texas, Austin

Rice University, Houston

Texas A&M University, College Station

University of Texas-Dallas, Richardson

University of Houston, Main Campus

 

Quite frankly, instead of wasting hundreds of millions offering duplicate services in the one region of this state that has the most options (Rice, UH, and A&M serve this region well), the UT system needs to elevate UTSA, UTEP, UTRGV, UT Arlington, and UT Tyler. That would be in the best interest of this state. It would also be in the best interest of this state to help elevate Texas Tech as well.

 

As a Texan, would it be in all of our best interests if the Valley, San Antonio, El Paso, the Panhandle, and a second DFW area school were elevated before another one was added to Southeast Texas?

 

 

[samagon]

4 hours ago, ADCS said:

Again, the fact that the PUF is continually brought up just serves to demonstrate that this is about bureaucratic politics, rather than what's actually good for the state. Bring up UCLA all you want, but notice the "UC" there: they're part of the same system as UC - Berkeley and all their sister institutions, and subject to systemwide oversight (with considerable independence). If UH wants that PUF money, and to exist within a known successful framework, then they should be looking at a merger with UT or A&M, rather than engaging in spiteful turf wars.

 

I think the point is that the PUF money is better spent in regions of the state that are not so saturated already, and if the state (UT) wants to put state money (PUF) into the Houston market, why not put that money into UH rather than duplicating efforts? 

 

Why would UT being denied by the state to waste PUF money to continue saturating an already saturated market be the fault of UH? 

 

[ADCS]

2 hours ago, samagon said:

 

I think the point is that the PUF money is better spent in regions of the state that are not so saturated already, and if the state (UT) wants to put state money (PUF) into the Houston market, why not put that money into UH rather than duplicating efforts? 

 

Why would UT being denied by the state to waste PUF money to continue saturating an already saturated market be the fault of UH? 

 

 

If that's the case, then why doesn't UH roll into the UT system? Same outcome with less bureaucratic overhead.

[cspwal]

They'd have to spend a lot of money on paint

[kbates2]

24 minutes ago, ADCS said:

 

If that's the case, then why doesn't UH roll into the UT system? Same outcome with less bureaucratic overhead.

 

Has that worked out for  UTSA, UTEP, UTRGV, UT Arlington, or UT Tyler?  The UT system does not spread the wealth like the University of Cal system that you keep mentioning.

[ADCS]

Just now, kbates2 said:

 

Has that worked out for  UTSA, UTEP, UTRGV, UT Arlington, or UT Tyler?  The UT system does not spread the wealth like the University of Cal system that you keep mentioning.

 

That is its own separate issue, and something I believe needs reforming within the UT system. 

[iah77]

6 hours ago, KinkaidAlum said:

Funny how people supporting UH are seen as the ones with privilege. Why must you feel the need to attend a University of Texas branch? Why do you assume the University of Houston is the only option for decent public education in this region? Are you unaware of how many other public options there are in southeast Texas or are you just too good for those schools?

 

The fact of the matter is there are just four public schools and five overall in the state of Texas that are in the World University top 400 AND designated by the Carnegie Foundation at the highest level (doctoral granting with highest research activity). Those five in order of ranking;

 

University of Texas, Austin

Rice University, Houston

Texas A&M University, College Station

University of Texas-Dallas, Richardson

University of Houston, Main Campus

 

Quite frankly, instead of wasting hundreds of millions offering duplicate services in the one region of this state that has the most options (Rice, UH, and A&M serve this region well), the UT system needs to elevate UTSA, UTEP, UTRGV, UT Arlington, and UT Tyler. That would be in the best interest of this state. It would also be in the best interest of this state to help elevate Texas Tech as well.

 

As a Texan, would it be in all of our best interests if the Valley, San Antonio, El Paso, the Panhandle, and a second DFW area school were elevated before another one was added to Southeast Texas?

 

 

In case you did not notice, the average person can't afford to relocate to a new city and have their own housing at 17-18. Even dorms are out of reach for the average family without financing. Extremely privileged view point, do you know the average person dies within less then 40 miles of where they were born? The average person can't afford to leave their city, much less without family support. 

 

So say I'm the child of poor migrant workers as over 25-30% of Houston is and I have 2 siblings. Can my parents with no credit history afford to send me to Dallas with added cost of a dorm? Would they even if they could, risking losing a child that may not come back? Would they trust their child in a far away city alone?

 

So you are saying A&M which is literally 100 MILES from downtown Houston is a Houston school? If I'm poor and have to take bus, it's 50 dollars round trip. If parents are dishwashers, that's over a day of work of disposable income. Does that seem like a real option? And of you think Rice serves the Houston community you are dreaming. 57% is from out of state and with really small classes that means literally less than 1,500 TEXANS [Not Houston alone] have a chance of getting in. 

[kbates2]

49 minutes ago, ADCS said:

 

That is its own separate issue, and something I believe needs reforming within the UT system. 

 

I fail to see how that is a separate issue.  We are advocating for the state to spread the funding across more public universities.  You are saying that if UH wants that funding, they should join the UT system. I am saying that even within the UT system the money is not spread out equitably.  I see the issues as one and the same.

[samagon]

1 hour ago, iah77 said:

In case you did not notice, the average person can't afford to relocate to a new city and have their own housing at 17-18. Even dorms are out of reach for the average family without financing. Extremely privileged view point, do you know the average person dies within less then 40 miles of where they were born? The average person can't afford to leave their city, much less without family support. 

 

So say I'm the child of poor migrant workers as over 25-30% of Houston is and I have 2 siblings. Can my parents with no credit history afford to send me to Dallas with added cost of a dorm? Would they even if they could, risking losing a child that may not come back? Would they trust their child in a far away city alone?

 

So you are saying A&M which is literally 100 MILES from downtown Houston is a Houston school? If I'm poor and have to take bus, it's 50 dollars round trip. If parents are dishwashers, that's over a day of work of disposable income. Does that seem like a real option? And of you think Rice serves the Houston community you are dreaming. 57% is from out of state and with really small classes that means literally less than 1,500 TEXANS [Not Houston alone] have a chance of getting in. 

This has nothing to do with the actual topic of the research institute that UT was said to have been planning.

 

But, since you're talking about a 4 year undergrad type institution... Unless I'm off, a person who goes to UH has a far greater potential for success after graduating than a UTEP, UTSA, UTxx graduate. It seems to me that rather than suggesting that UH be dragged down to that level of school, you first work to raise the level of those institutions to at least UH level, then maybe it's a good idea to fold UH into that program. 

 

So let's first talk about what the UT system can do to fix their own satellite schools, then maybe they can talk about them joining the Houston area, either through folding in UH, or through another form of expansion.

 

As far as building a research school, maybe they should get approval from the state, like they're supposed to, rather than just buying land?

 

If you want to have a discussion about poor migrant workers going to college in a UT system school, maybe you make a thread in the off topic forum.

Edited March 7, 2017 by samagon

[jmitch94]

[KinkaidAlum]

Wow, you went off the rails with that one but I am not sure how spending half a billion dollars to open a UT branch in Houston is going to help the children of poor migrant workers in the age of Trump.

 

Also, again, I have to ask you if you are aware that there are other options for education in this region? Texas Southern, TWU, Sam Houston, St. Thomas (which ranks as one of the top 50 schools for Hispanics in the US), Lone State, UH-Downtown, HCC, Prairie View, San Jac, etc... 

 

And, just in case you are truly worried about a first generational student and helping keep costs down, you might want to check out UHin4. 

 

 

 

[BigFootsSocks]

I'm just glad everyone's having a good time online

[OkieEric]

Turner, Fertitta now back "collaborative" approach with UT, UH, Rice, TSU, and A&M

 

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Turner-Build-the-data-institute-on-UT-s-land-11121076.php

 

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/houston/article/Turner-Fertitta-endorse-data-center-plan-call-11122792.php

[Avossos]

11 hours ago, OkieEric said:

Turner, Fertitta now back "collaborative" approach with UT, UH, Rice, TSU, and A&M

 

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Turner-Build-the-data-institute-on-UT-s-land-11121076.php

 

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/houston/article/Turner-Fertitta-endorse-data-center-plan-call-11122792.php

 

Power move by Mayor Turner.

 

I think we should all (the greater metro) be supportive of this. The more institutional research we have the better. UH has the highest of goals now - which I am proud of them for. UT and TAMU are set. Rice is Rice. Whoever is involved, something educational here would be very valuable.

[brian0123]

Houston needs this. At work (I'm an IT Architect at a big hospital in the TMC) we're starting machine learning to analyze data of our patients and get into predictive models to better treat them. Data science in healthcare alone has the potential to change the world and Houston should be at the forefront. It wouldn't surprise me if we get to a point where (based on your vitals and data alone) we can predict when you're in danger of a medical emergency occurring so that we can preemptively treat you (or improve staff response times). Turner + any other Houston should rally around this for the UT land location given its proximity to the TMC and potential benefits to our economy.

[samagon]

The way this was all started still smells, and it would be good to see that investigated, but this is the right step to take now. Stay transparent, invite everyone and make it a co-branded affair.

[Twitter1]

The argument UT vs. UH continues I guess. This time several universities are brought up.

 

I like the old plans better!

[brian0123]

Not sure if this needs another post but thought it applied here... https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21721656-data-economy-demands-new-approach-antitrust-rules-worlds-most-valuable-resource

[MexAmerican_Moose]

nobody has a problem with building an IT/data center, which by the way, was just recently proposed....everybody HAS a problem with the way UT handled the land purchase...arrogance, must be nice having PUF moneyz

Edited May 8, 2017 by MexAmerican_Moose

[Urbannizer]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.chron.com/local/education/campus-chronicles/amp/UT-System-to-ask-for-Houston-land-proposals-by-12712931.php

 

The University of Texas System is inching toward selling the controversial Houston property it purchased for a now-defunct idea of a new campus.

 

Regent Jeff Hildebrand, who is leading a task force on unloading the property, said Tuesday morning at a board meeting that the system will submit a request for quotations to developers by the end of the first quarter of the year. A request for proposals will be issued by the end of spring 2018, he said.

 

He called the 300 acres in southwest Houston "valuable."

 

Hildebrand said he will "aggressively pursue" his objective is to maximize sale proceeds on the property for the system, which received sharp criticism from lawmakers in 2017 because of the land's high price and the system's lack of clear vision for the property.

[Urbannizer]

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2018/04/22/ut-system-releases-rfq-to-find-buyer-developer-for.html

 

https://www.utsystem.edu/sites/default/files/documents/general-counsel-documents/RFQ No. 04-20-2018 UT System - approximately 300 acres in Houston%2C Texas/BuffaloSpeedwayRFQ04_20_2018REO.pdf

 

UT is looking for “an owner or user wishing to purchase a significant portion or all of the land … or a real property developer who would plan, extend infrastructure and then purchase all or a significant portion of the land over time for development,” per the RFQ. It’s also looking for nationally or regionally recognized buyers or developers that are financially sound and have, “if applicable, a history of developing successful projects similar to the use or market-driven, long-term, multiphase commercial projects.” However, UT doesn’t require any specific uses of the land, and it doesn’t plan to have any presence on the site.

[Highrise Tower]

https://www.utsystem.edu/offices/real-estate/requests-proposals-rfps

 

https://www.utsystem.edu/sites/default/files/offices/real-estate/property/RFP No. 720-1910/BuffaloSpeedwayRFPFinalPosting20181112.pdf

Quote

For the sale of approximately 305 Acres of Land bisected by Buffalo Speedway and Willowbend Boulevard, Houston, Texas

 

Deadline for Submittal of Proposals: Friday, November 30, 2018, at 2:30pm Central Time

 

Sole Contact for Questions, Inquiries, Interpretation, and Concerns Regarding This RFP:

Darya Vienne

Via email: dvienne@utsystem.edu

 

 

Edited December 1, 2018 by ekdrm2d1

[Naviguessor]

Let sleeping dogs lie

[KinkaidAlum]

4 hours ago, ekdrm2d1 said:

I'd rather have this than the UH Medical 

 

And I'd rather not have to scroll through 8 year old threads being bumped for stupid reasons but we don't always get what we want.

[H-Town Man]

The state's largest and wealthiest university will think twice before they try to start a project in Houston again, amirite?!