University of St. Thomas (Texas)

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University of St. Thomas
File:UST1.jpg
MottoEducating Leaders of Faith and Character
TypePrivate university
Established1947
PresidentDr. Robert Ivany
Academic staff
242 (Fall 2004)
Students3776 (Fall 2005)
Location
Houston
,
Texas
,
USA
MascotCelt
Websitehttp://www.stthom.edu

The University of St. Thomas (also referred to as UST or St. Thomas) in Houston, Texas is a Catholic university, one of many liberal arts universities in the United States.

History

The University of Saint Thomas.
Street signs around the campus.

UST was founded as a Roman Catholic university in 1947 by Basilian Fathers who had made their way down from Canada to found Catholic institutions[1]. The result was the St. Thomas High School followed by the University of St. Thomas some years later. Both are located inside Houston's Interstate 610.

The university is named after St. Thomas Aquinas. Originally consisting solely of the Link-Lee Mansion on the corner of Montrose and West Alabama, the university has expanded towards the South and West over the last 60 years, establishing itself as a notable landmark in Houston with over 15,000 graduates. The current expansion plan includes the acquisition and development of the majority of the land comprising 25 city blocks.

Former University president J. Michael Miller, CSB has since been summoned to the Vatican to preside as Secretary of the Congregation of Catholic Education. J. Michael Miller, CSB was evaluated to archbishop by the late Pope John Paul II in 2004.

Campus

The University of St. Thomas is located in the Montrose neighborhood. The campus is north of Houston's Museum District and is adjacent to the famous Menil Collection and the Rothko Chapel. The campus is located within 5 miles of The Galleria, Houston's Medical Center, Downtown Houston's Theater District, Minute Maid Park, Toyota Center, George R. Brown Convention Center, Reliant Stadium, The Houston Zoo, and the World Famous Houston Astrodome.

The campus includes several historic buildings including the Link-Lee Mansion, once the largest home in Houston which is currently the home of the university's executive office, and Hughes House, the childhood home of Howard Hughes, housing the Theology and Catholic Studies offices.

Academic Mall

Academic Mall

The campus takes shape is in a square format, with the main focus of buildings on the north side of the campus which is called the Academic Mall. Comprised of rectanglular buildings, the Academic Mall is the symbolic architecture of Philip Johnson. The use of Johnson as the university's architect spawned mild controversy due to the noted architect's open homosexuality and his flirtation with fascism and atheism which was thought to clash with the Church's teachings. This controversy has died down and mostly been forgotten over the years.

On the south end of the Mall is the Doherty library, while the Chapel of St. Basil is located at the opposite end. Four buildings flank these two buildings on each side in a rectangular formation surrounding a courtyard. The setup is designed to display the methods of human knowledge (faith, represented by the Chapel, and reason, represented by the library) in dialogue regarding the various subject matters (represented by the other buildings, most of which are specialized in one or two subjects).

Chapel of St. Basil

Chapel of St. Basil, including a view of the brand new labrynth

The Chapel of St. Basil is a unique work of art that has won many awards for its architecture[2]. Named after St. Basil the Great, a fourth century bishop who was a proponent of both education and the monastic life, the Chapel sits at the north end of the UST Academic Mall, representing faith in the Mall's artistic depiction between balance and faith, and reason in dialogue.

The Chapel includes a fascinating play on light, as there is no artificial light inside the main section of building during the daytime. There is sufficient sunlight to fully light the worship space, as a combination of smooth textures and reflective surfaces maximize all light shone in the building. At night, the lights from outside combined with candles inside the Chapel are more than enough to illuminate the worship area.

A setup of the architecture also shifts the focus the building. The entry to the outdoor narthex of the Chapel is created with a tent-like flap extending over the entry, creating an enclosed space that is still outdoors. The entrances to the Chapel are faced away from the center of the building and towards the tabernacle as a reminder to all the enter that the central point of the Chapel is not the altar or the crucifix, but rather the location of the Eucharist.

During the 2005-2006 school year, a prayer garden was built on the west side of the chapel, featuring a labrynth, three fountains (meant to represent the members of the Trinity), and benches for meditation.

Doherty Library

Doherty Library (located at the southern end of the Academic Mall) is one of the premier research libraries in the city of Houston. Housing over 200,000 books, 15,000 periodicals, and 125 databases, Doherty has earned an "A" rating from the American Library Association, the highest possible rating for a library or any other research institution.[3]

Hackett Field

Hackett Field

On April 26, 2006, the university dedicated a new athletic field to the Hackett family, who provided a substantial portion of the funds for the development of the athletic field at the university. The field is a non-regulation size and will not be used for intercollegiate sports in the future.[4] However, the field will provide a venue for intramurals and other sports programs.

Students and alumni

The University currently maintains a population of 1900 traditional undergraduate students and 1200 graduate students. Adding to this number are non-traditional, off-campus, study-abroad, special program, and seminary students that bring the grand total to 4875 students.

UST has many diverse ethnicities, as 47% of the total number of students are African-American, Hispanic, or Native American. UST is the only private, Hispanic-serving institute of higher education in Houston, TX; to earn this rating from the U.S. Department of Education, UST maintains a student body that is at least 25% Hispanic. 62% of the student body is Catholic. University students come from over 30 states throughout the U.S. as well as over a dozen countries around the world.

Notable former students

There is a memorial to Olson, a victim of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks, on the main campus mall.

Notable former professors

Costs and financial aid

As of the 2006-2007 Academic Year, tuition costs for the University are set at $590 per credit hour with an $84 per semester activity fee, placing UST in the middle of colleges of similar caliber in terms of tuition costs and towards the lower end with regards to fees. Total estimated cost of undergraduate tuition and fees is $17,880 for one year (30 credit hours). Room and board costs are $6,800 for one year, bringing a total cost of roughly $25,000 a year with books and parking.

The University also maintains a strong scholarship and financial aid program that provides over $20 million in scholarships annually in addition to much more in university loans. Many eligible students receive half-tuition scholarships as well as 5 top students receiving full-tuition scholarships annually.

Special programs

UST offers several special programs within its curriculum, consisting of undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and special preparation programs.

Health professional and pre-law programs

UST maintains an extensive Health Professional Programs (including pre-dental, pre-medical, pre-optometry, pre-pharmacy, pre-veterinary, allied health) as well as a Pre-Law Program. These programs, while not a major in themselves, can easily be tied to any undergraduate degree program. Students who complete these programs have a 90% acceptance rate to the graduate school of their choosing.

Engineering program

UST also maintains a strong engineering program in conjunction with several other universities. Students entering the program will complete three years of study at the University of St. Thomas (earning a degree in Mathematics) before moving on to the University of Notre Dame, Texas A&M University, or the University of Houston to complete their engineering degree. Students who complete this program have a 100% acceptance rate to the engineering school of their choosing.

Music

UST has a well-respected music program, offering courses ranging from the appreciation and history of music to courses of instruction and performance with various instruments. Pioneering psychedelic rock band Red Crayola and opera enthusiast / mystic Marshall Applewhite both have extensive ties to the esteemed program. Prior to his dismissal for improprieties with a student, Marshall Applewhite was the first chair of the music department.

Cameron School of Business

The Cameron Foundation has donated thousands of dollars to the university in order for UST to set up a business school capable of rivaling programs across the nation. The result is the Cameron School of Business, which promotes 5-year degree plans that will allow students to complete both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in several fields of business, including accounting, finance, management information systems, business administration, and international business.

Glassell School of Art

UST also maintains a connection with the Glassell School of Art for its Studio Arts program, which links the university to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, one of the top art museums in the world.

Social Life

Neewollah

  • An annual tradition at the University of St. Thomas, the "Neewollah" Party (Halloween spelled backwards) is held every year in October. Hundreds of students dress up in costume and party on the lawn and patios of the spacious Link-Lee Mansion as various local bands and DJ's alternate providing music. It is one of the largest and best attended parties of at UST, averaging around 500 to 600 students.[citation needed]

Black Student Union's Annual Crawfish Boil and Zydeco Fest

  • On April 19, 2002 the University of Saint Thomas Black Student Union held its first Crawfish Boil and Zydeco Fest featuring Step Rideaux and the Zydeco Outlaws. It has since become an annual event. The event provides an excellent opportunity for recreation and fellowship. Hundreds of students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the surrounding community enjoy imported crawfish and a zydeco dance contest.

Athletics

The University of St. Thomas is a member of the NAIA.

Other Campus Events

Student Organizations

The Student Organizations Committee is a collective of student leaders from six major organizations that oversee many areas of student life. The SOC holds no legislative powers, but does possess limited judicial power over certain decisions made by the Student Government Association, such as major funding bills and bills affecting SOC membership. There is no presiding officer of the SOC. All SOC members have an administrative or facutly adviser. SOC members are allowed to petition for operating budgets before other organizations and/or clubs can request funds for the following school year.

Members of the SOC

  • The Student Government Association is the legislative student body at UST. The senate body consists of up to four representatives from each class (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, and graduate) who are elected into office. An executive board led by an elected president and an elected vice president oversee the SGA. The SGA president can appoint a secretary, treasurer, historian, and webmaster. The SGA's main function is to allocate funds collected by the Student Activity Fee. It holds regular meetings every Tuesday in the Council of Clubs meeting room in Crooker Center.
  • The Student Activities Board is the main programming organization at UST. SAB is led by an elected president and an elected vice president. It is responsible for planning traditional events like Neewollah and Spring Formal, as well as occasional open mic and bingo nights.
  • The Council of Clubs is an umbrella organization that represents clubs on campus. It is led by an elected chair and an appointed vice chair. The CoC provides funding for various clubs at UST. Interested clubs may request membership into the CoC and may be approved with a simple majority vote by eligible clubs, called the board of directors. The board currently includes:
  • Accounting Society
  • American Chemical Society (ACS)
  • Asian Student Association (ACS)
  • Association of German Students (AGS)
  • Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE)
  • Beta-Beta-Beta Biology Club (Tri-Beta)
  • Bilingual Education Student Organization (BESO)
  • Black Student Union (BSU)
  • Cajun Club
  • Cameron Business Society
  • Chi Rho--Theology
  • Director's Cut--Film
  • Drama Club
  • El Club Hispanico
  • Environmentally Concerned Organization of Students (ECOS)
  • Filipino Student Association (FSA)
  • Graduate Investment Club
  • Graduate Student Association (GSA)
  • Hispanic Business Student Association (HBSA)
  • History Society
  • International Students Association
  • International Studies Society
  • Iota Sigma Sigma Management Information Systems Society (MIS)
  • Le Cecle Francais--French
  • Phi Sigma Tau Philosophy Honor Society
  • Psi Chi--Pyschology
  • Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society
  • St. Thomas More Political Science Club
  • Students Interested in Medicine (SIM)
  • Student Organization of Latinos (SOL)
  • United Nations International Children's Education Fund (UNICEF)
  • Union of the Politically Progressive (UPP)
  • Unleaded Commuter Association
  • Vegetarian Student Union
  • Vietnamese Student Association (VSA)
  • The Sport Clubs Associations is responsible for the sport clubs on campus. It is led by an elected president. Like the CoC, it is an umbrella organization that funds althetic-oriented clubs and teams at UST. President Robert Ivany made an announcement at the ceremony that UST would attempt to join the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and, if approved, plans to begin intercollegiate competition at the beginning of the fall 2006 semester, starting with the women's volleyball team. Current members of the Sport Clubs include:
  • Men’s baseball
  • Women’s volleyball
  • Men’s basketball
  • Co-ed fencing
  • Men’s rugby
  • Co-ed martial arts
  • Men’s soccer
  • Co-ed racquetball
  • Women’s soccer
  • Co-ed soccer
    • The Cauldron newspaper is the student-run newspaper serving the UST community. It is led by an appointed editor and an appointed assistant editor, as well as various section editors and staff members. The staff is responsible for usually nine regular issues and two special editions (a student elections voter's guide and The Scauldron). The newspaper also mantains a Web site.
    • The Laurels literary magazine publishes poems sumbitted by enrolled students. It is led by three appointed editors. During the fall, the three editors are responsible for the administration and editing of the issue. However, a curriculum-approved Laurels class, in cooperation with the editors, is responsible for the spring issue.

    Current events

    The Houston Chronicle reported on May 12, 2006 that pages from the Spring 2006 edition of the Laurels literary magazine were "ripped out" after the magazine's faculty adviser said a homoerotic poem was too "graphic" and that it was taken out of the publication out of concern for the Basilian founders. In the article, the poem's author accused the adviser of homophobia, while the adviser accused the student of sneaking the poem in the magazine.

    The University's Cauldron newspaper reported on May 19, 2006 that a miscommunication between the adviser and editor led to the poem having been printed.

    After the poem was printed, the poem's author was accused of plagiarizing a song by Alanis Morissette titled "Sympathetic Character." According to the Cauldron article, the student denies the charges of plagiarism.

    1. ^ http://www.stthom.edu/ia/publicaffairs/about/basilian_fathers.html
    2. ^ http://www.stthom.edu/ia/publicaffairs/about/chapel/
    3. ^ http://www.stthom.edu/enrollment/admissions/resourcecntrs/
    4. ^ http://www.ustcauldron.org/news/2006/05/19/OtherNews/University.Opens.Hackett.Athletic.Field-2013077.shtml?mkey=1209633
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