At University of Houston-Clear Lake, people make a difference. Faculty, staff, students, alumni, community friends and donors each strengthen the university through their gifts, support and involvement. We are thankful that so many people are actively committed to the success of UHCL.

During 2011, we again experienced record-breaking enrollment with the student population at 8,185 during the fall semester. To accommodate the growth, UHCL moved forward with new construction and renovations at the Arbor Building, providing more classroom and lab space. Student scholarship and internship programs were also bolstered by grants from the National Science Foundation, the Hogg Foundation and other partners.

State legislators granted approval to UHCL in 2011 for downward expansion, which allows the university to transition from an upper-level to a four-year university with the addition of freshman- and sophomore-level courses to its roster. As we take steps toward admitting our first freshman class in fall 2014, your impact on the future success of our students increases.

As a community-minded, partnership-oriented, and student-centered institution, UHCL focuses on providing exceptional education opportunities in the Bay Area and beyond. Your generous support makes it possible to do this, and I thank you for making a difference.

William A. Staples
President