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UHS' Katy institute continues to grow

Cinco Ranch brings UH benefits to Houston's West Side

by Portia-Elaine Gant
Senior Staff Writer

The University of Houston System at Cinco Ranch reached an all-time high enrollment of 1,036 this spring, a feat the institution's director, Kurt Czupryn, attributed to a variety of factors, including general community awareness of the campus and offering a set of programs that caters to the community.

"It's a combination of marketing and having the classes," Czupryn said. "Of course, the University of Houston is a brand out here, and so is UH-Downtown, UH-Clear Lake and UH-Victoria. The University of Houston brand is what brings people here. There's prestige associated with UH, even if you're in the UH System, which is what we are."

Part of the difficulty of expanding can be attributed to budget cuts that have affected higher education throughout the state.

"Last fall, we had 825 or so students enrolled. Between last spring and last fall, we lost 20 percent of our classes due to budget cuts, so we only grew 2 to 3 percent," Czupryn said. "This spring, however, our enrollment came rolling back."

The University of Houston System at Cinco Ranch, along with UHS at Sugar Land, offers more than 30 degree and certificate programs delivered by all four UHS universities. Cinco Ranch, located on South Mason Road in Katy, is distinctly different from the University in that it only offers upper division and graduate courses from the junior to the master's level.

"Eight percent of our students are graduate students. When you come out here, you feel like you're at a corporate training center," Czupryn said. "We have ample free parking right outside the building, it's quiet, and we just have a laid-back feeling out here. It's never really crowded, so you get the university classes without the university setting."

Czupryn, who attended the University of Nebraska, said the lack of a traditional university setting does not detract from his ability to serve students at Cinco Ranch.

"University of Nebraska gives me an immediate appreciation for what it's like on the main campus, so I'm comfortable here and on the main campus. I've been full-time faculty before, so I can appreciate where they're coming from and what their challenges are," Czupryn said.

Rather than contrasting his institute and UH, however, Czupryn said he views the differences between the two as another of the UH System's efforts to appeal to a diverse city.

"I don't think there's any replacement for the traditional campus experience," Czupryn said. "I love going to campus. It's a hassle to get there sometimes, but it's a neat atmosphere."

He said students who live or work in west Houston should find it convenient to take classes at Cinco Ranch, adding that the facility is an economical way for the System to expand.

"There's not going to be another real UH (campus) anytime soon, so we have to expand on what we have," Czupryn said.
 

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