A Message from the President
March 5, 2015
UTRGV represents the opportunity of a lifetime for all of us – a chance to build on the legacy of two fine universities in constructing an institution that will offer students in the Rio Grande Valley the same kinds of educational opportunities that students in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and the rest of Texas take for granted.
Creating the new university has not been easy, and your hard work and patience as the process has unfolded is greatly appreciated. While the work of the new university pulls us all in many directions, our priorities are making sure that all of our students are enrolled and in class on August 31, 2015, and that all of our faculty and staff are on the payroll.
This newsletter will update you on some key developments to date.
UTRGV HIRING UPDATE
We are making steadfast progress and posting new positions each week. Please check the UTRGV web site daily and apply for all positions that you believe you qualify for. Additionally, we are conducting active searches for the Vice President for Advancement, the Senior Vice President for Research and the Chief Information Officer. UTRGV is also conducting national searches for Deans in the Colleges of Liberal Arts, Education and P-16 Integration, and Sciences. At this time, we have successfully hired 618 staff and 796 faculty members. A complete list of all faculty and staff hires can be found on the UTRGV website.#FIRST CLASS
Things are moving forward as we prepare to welcome our newest students to UTRGV. The University has received more than 9,000 applications since October from students eager to join the Vaquero family. We have been meeting with high school seniors across the Valley who are excited to be a part of the first freshman class. It will be a tremendous joy to send out their acceptance letters later this week. Along with their acceptance letter, our incoming freshmen will receive admittance packets that will provide them pertinent information before entering UTRGV. They will also receive a bumper sticker to display their Vaquero pride, a poster that includes a “to-do” list and instructions that will encourage students to take a selfie for posting on social media with the hashtags #UTRGV and #FirstClass.UPDATE: UTRGV ACADEMIC CALENDAR AND TENURED FACULTY
Last fall, UTRGV established an Academic Policies Committee comprised of faculty, staff and students from UTB/TSC and UTPA. Among other tasks, they were charged with developing the academic calendar and standardized class meeting times for UTRGV. The Academic Calendar for AY2015-2016 and 2016-2017, as well as standardized class meeting times were approved. UTRGV also received approval of its degree plans from UT System. Additionally, the UT System Board of Regents unanimously approved the award of tenured appointments for faculty previously holding tenured status at UTB/TSC or UTPA who were hired through the Phase 1 hiring process at UTRGV.SCHOOL OF MEDICINE UPDATE
The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) has approved the UTRGV School of Medicine candidacy for accreditation. This is the first step of a process to achieve full accreditation, a series of steps any new medical education program seeking LCME accreditation must follow. With our candidacy status, the School of Medicine can schedule a site visit for preliminary accreditation. Thereafter, we will be allowed to recruit our inaugural class. Dean Fernandez and his team are doing an excellent work. If you would like access to Dr. Fernandez’s campus message with further updates, please click here.WORKING WITH HURON CONSULTING
To ensure UTRGV opens its doors with a structure that will support student success in a distributed university model, dozens of staff have been meeting with the Huron Consulting Group hired by UT System. The four target areas being addressed include: defining and developing university planning and project management; setting up an administrative shared service center design; reviewing job classifications and compensation programs/structures; and assisting the Division of Student Success in developing a one-stop student services center on each campus. The projects will run through mid-April.
84th TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION
The 84th Legislative Session has commenced and we are working with our state legislators to communicate the University’s greatest needs. Among our agenda items are operational support for the new School of Medicine, for which construction is underway, and support for the construction of major facilities including a new $42.5M Interdisciplinary Engineering & Academic Studies Building (Edinburg campus) and a $50.6M Multipurpose Academic Center (Brownsville campus). During this legislative session, we joined with Rio Grande Valley cities, chambers of commerce and economic development corporations for RGV Day at the Capitol. This was the first time the region partnered as a delegation for the event, demonstrating unity across the Valley.
UT SYSTEM REGENTS APPROVE IMAGES FOR UTRGV VAQUEROS
In February, the UT System Board of Regents unanimously approved word marks, colors and logos for UTRGV and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Our colors include bright orange, gray, green and navy blue, in recognition of the former UTPA and UTB/TSC colors, respectively. While the UTRGV logo represents the University, the new UTRGV Vaquero athletic nickname represents our athletic brand. The image of our Vaquero mascot is complemented by a newly designed image, which portrays a Vaquero atop his steed. To symbolize Texas Lone Star pride, a star is embedded within the “V” in the words, RGV and Vaquero. The “V” and incorporated Star will become a primary image for UTRGV athletics, representing the “Vaqueros,” the “Valley” and “Victory!” For information about the university’s branding, please contact Patrick Gonzales, Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications at patrick.gonzales@utrgv.edu.
A STRONG COMMITMENT TO UTRGV
The University of Texas System is fully committed to the advancement of UTRGV. UT System has committed an estimated amount over $500M toward the fulfillment of our shared vision for a University of the first class. Commitment includes:
- $54M for the School of Medicine Building (Edinburg Campus).
- $70M for a Science Building (Edinburg Campus).
- $54M for an Academic Building (Brownsville Campus).
- $100M, over ten years, to support operations for the School of Medicine.
- $14M for student, financial and human resource systems.
- $30M, over five years, for a variety of items including the infrastructure of a Simulated/Smart hospital, research and faculty.
- $4.6M toward the STARGATE (SpaceX) project that will augment $6.1M invested from other partners.
“WE WILL” CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED
UT System helped UTRGV launch a University-wide marketing campaign called “We Will.” As you drive around the Valley, take a look at our billboards off the highway. You can also click here to view our “We Will” commercial, which aired during the Super Bowl. In addition, campaigns for our #FirstClass of 2019 and our athletics department are also rolling out this spring.
UTRGV THANKS OUR PARTNERS
The United Health Foundation awarded a $2.88M grant to The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) and the UTRGV School of Medicine. The grant will help establish the Center for Colonia Integrated Care (CCIC), where project staff will coordinate services targeting two colonias in the RGV. In addition, H-E-B invested $1M to establish an endowed Chair benefitting the South Texas Diabetes & Obesity Institute, a new research, clinical and educational institute led by renowned genetics and infectious diseases expert, Dr. Sarah Williams-Blangero. The Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation also awarded a grant for $142,367 that will significantly impact nursing education and mental health services in South Texas. The grant will help develop a Post-Master’s Certificate in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program to be offered at UTRGV.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Rollout the Vaquero
The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will officially rollout their logo, the Vaquero mascot and the “We Are One” marketing campaign at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 7 at the UTPA gym. We will also unveil our athletic footwear and apparel provider and 2,000 free t-shirts will be given away. Before the game, UTPA and UTB/TSC Cheer and Dance groups will perform. The basketball game will be televised live on the ASN Network. Watch parties for the game are also being organized in Brownsville and Port Isabel. For more information, click here.
Discover UTRGV
Students and parents will have the opportunity to discover our campuses, meet with college deans and faculty to hear about UTRGV programs, visit with fellow students and learn about our student organizations. Join us March 21 in Brownsville and March 28 in Edinburg. If you are interested in volunteering, please call 956-665-7335!