Media Kit
The longest serving chancellor in the state of Texas, Renu Khator has been serving as both chancellor of the 兔子先生 System and president of the University of Houston since 2008. She broke boundaries and glass ceilings with these appointments, as she became the first female chancellor in the state of Texas and the first Indian immigrant to lead a comprehensive research university in the U.S.
A sought-after speaker and expert on higher education, Khator has been featured in CBS News, The Texas Tribune, CNBC and Inside Higher Education, among others.
Read Renu Khator鈥檚 Brief Bio >>
Read Renu Khator鈥檚 Full Bio >>
Download Renu Khator鈥檚 Photos >>
Statements and Quotes
"It is truly about impact. Student scholarships transform not just one life but an entire generation. Endowed chairs do not just add a faculty member; they help us find a cure for cancer, a clean energy future, or keys to achieving equity and parity in our society. Endowed academic programs in the arts and humanities inspire students to find a voice within and become Pulitzer Prize winners and MacArthur geniuses. Physical spaces are not just buildings, they provide the means to start conversations and discourse. Student-athlete well-being ensures that they don鈥檛 just win games but have wins in life. We must dream big 鈥� if we don鈥檛 dream big, we are not living up to our potential; neither are we fulfilling our obligation."
鈥� State of the University 2024
鈥淲e have been on an incredible journey 鈥� a journey full of leaps and bounds, of trials and triumphs, of courage and passion. We took many gambles like starting a medical school, that too during the pandemic, and investing in athletics. We took the hard road and increased student success by focusing on breaking barriers for students and not by changing the profile of the students we enrolled. We are here now ranked #70 among all public universities in America! We have left behind universities that if you hear their name you may say, 鈥淩eally? 鈥淎re you serious?鈥� Well, it is serious. Now is not the time to rest; now is the time to seize the moment and build on our momentum..鈥�
鈥� State of the University 2023
鈥淒uring its existence, the University has produced over 350,000 college graduates. Considering that the majority of our students live and work in the Houston metro area, we can take pride in saying that we are the primary engine of Houston鈥檚 educated workforce. We are also the strongest university engine driving Houston鈥檚 research. According to the National Science Foundation鈥檚 data, UH brings in and spends more research dollars than any other university in Houston and ranks 3rd in the state among all public and private universities. According to the data from AUTM, the leading technology transfer resource, 兔子先生 also leads in technology transfer measured by income from faculty patents and ranks No.1 in the state.鈥�
鈥� Fall Address 2022
鈥淎mbitious goals, high rankings, beautiful buildings, accumulating championship rings--all of these are laudable goals but they have no value if they don鈥檛 help us create a community of learners and educators that values human dignity, respect for one another, and empathy for each other鈥檚 anguish. It is the desire of our faculty, staff and students to create a more just, equitable, free, non-discriminatory environment for all at the 兔子先生.鈥�
鈥� Fall Address 2021
See Statements and Quotes Archive
Media Coverage
"Since she arrived in January 2008, UH has earned 鈥淭ier One鈥� status, placing itself among institutions with the highest amount of research activity. Khator, also chancellor of the 兔子先生 System, launched the new Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. And UH Athletics has continued its growth with the hiring of big-name coaches, a men's basketball appearance in last year's Elite Eight and a No. 1 ranking for the first time in 40 years, ..."
鈥� Houston Chronicle
鈥淚 look at higher education like a pyramid. You need to have your base very strong, with enough college educated people to fuel your economy. But you have to have the pinnacle, which means you have to aspire to be the best in innovation and research in the world. So you can鈥檛 just talk about college completion, the lowest level. You have to think about both axes, lowest and highest, when you discuss funding higher education.鈥�
鈥� Texas Tribune
鈥淲e are in an experiment to make sure that diversity and excellence are not put in two mutually exclusive categories,鈥� Khator said. 鈥淏ecause we are such a diverse university, we are very important for the country. We are the prototype of what universities will look like.鈥�
鈥� The New York Times