A Political Action Committee – or PAC – is an organization of individuals with a shared interest that combine financial resources to support or oppose political candidates to gain favor and/or influence legislation for that common interest. All PACs are required to register with the Texas Ethics Commission and to report all financial activities. The UH PAC is a general purpose Texas State PAC: it receives monetary contributions for the purpose of supporting or opposing elected officials or ballot measures. The UH PAC is not officially affiliated with the University of Houston. Accordingly, the UH System Chancellor, College Presidents, and Regents participate only as individual supporters of the UH PAC and not in their official UHS capacities. However, the UH PAC is the only registered PAC with a mission that is solely focused on supporting the University of Houston.

The UH PAC contributes money to statewide elected officials who are committed to the importance of higher education and the University of Houston System. We have very few overhead expenses, so the vast majority of our contributions are used to support candidates who support the goals of the UH system.

The UH PAC’s campaign finance reports are available online through the Texas Ethics Commission, available here.

The UH PAC advocates for issues concerning public higher-education that advance the goals of the University of Houston System.

The UH PAC leadership use established guidelines and input from system officials when determining which candidates receive our support. Our guidelines include whether a member serves in a leadership capacity, serves on a committee that impacts higher education, is a UH alum, or has a history of supporting or opposing higher-education initiatives. We are completely non-partisan and our advocacy is solely focused on the University of Houston System.

No. The UH PAC only contributes to candidates or officeholders at the state level; we do not contribute to candidates on the federal or city/county levels of government. Since UH is a Texas public university, the state legislature has the power and authority to make decisions that will ultimately affect the students, faculty, and the university’s standing. Accordingly, we focus our advocacy at the state level.

No. Individuals and entities (who are not non-profit or tax-exempt organizations) are eligible to contribute to the UH PAC. Corporate contributions are only allowed to be used for administrative and overhead expenses of the PAC, and cannot be used to contribute to candidates and legislators.

No. Contributions to political parties, political campaigns, or political action committees are not tax-deductible.

There are no maximum or minimum limit governing contributions—we welcome contributions of any size or frequency. We recognize that our strength is in numbers; by pooling resources, we are able to make a significant impact for UH. Please note that all contributions exceeding $50 are required to be reported on the PAC’s campaign finance reports through the Texas Ethics Commission.

By contributing to the UH PAC, you are making an investment in the future of the University of Houston. Contributions directly support the elected officials who make funding decisions that impact UH. Being involved in the UH PAC is yet another way to display your love and affection for our great University.

There are several ways you can become more involved with the UH PAC. Whether it’s becoming a contributor, attending events, or passing along the word, any involvement is welcome and appreciated. We recommend signing up for the Chairman’s Brigade e-mail newsletter through this website under the “Contact” tab. This periodic newsletter is a source of information regarding recent updates involving the university, current and upcoming legislation and PAC events. If you are seeking for a larger role, feel free to contact us through our contact form on this website. Anyone and everyone, whether a UH Alumni or not, is encouraged to play participate in our efforts to gain the University of Houston the recognition it deserves.

No. Never.

You may contribute by credit card through this website under the “Contribute to the PAC” tab, by mailing a check to our P.O. Box address, or by attending one of the several events throughout the year the PAC plans. Through this website, you are also able to set up a recurring contribution. Finally, you can also sign up for the Chairman’s Brigade through this website to stay up to date on upcoming events and contribution opportunities.

I certify this contribution is from my personal funds and not from the treasury funds of a corporation or union