After looking through the vast library of information available on the Digital UH website and after thinking it over for the last couple of days, I have a few ideas that popped in my head on themes that we can possibly look at throughout the semester.
1. The beginnings of public television and how this affected how the University was seen on a national scale. I did not know that PBS channel 8 was the first public television station in the nation. PBS has influence many of us throughout our lives and the idea that public broadcasting started with our school is something we should be proud of. Along that same train of thought, what were the factors that led to the development of Channel 8 and how did the city react to the idea of a public television station?
2. As an avid sports fan, I know that race was a hot issue when it came to the integration of African American athletes on college sports teams. I heard a story not long ago that the University of Houston was a leader in Texas when it came to allowing African American athletes to play on college sports teams. How was the University seen locally and nationally when it came to this hot issue? How did other schools in Texas and the south react to the leadership role the University took on this matter?
3. On this final one, I would like to look at the culture of the 1980s. The 1980s were a time of financial success throughout the country but also it seemed to be a problem for oil. Growing up during this period in Houston, I remember that the city of Houston seemed to suffer during this time because of the energy crisis. So I guess the theme we could possibly look at here is the idea of the culture around the campus during the late 1970s and 1980s. I wonder if the kids who wanted to be in the energy field started to think twice about career choices.
