Editor's Note: The following email was sent to UTSA faculty and staff today by President Taylor Eighmy.
(June 25, 2018) -- Dear Roadrunners,
When imagining UTSA ten years from now, envision an institution serving upwards of 45,000 unstoppable students pursuing their higher education dreams, with over 2,000 faculty acting as their guides and champions.
Some of this learning will be delivered in virtual spaces, but our vision depends considerably on our ability to offer classroom instruction and world-class research in our bricks-and-mortar campus facilities. Growing our campuses must be done very thoughtfully, with the right data in hand and with the input of our many stakeholders. Moreover, we are required by UT System to do campus master plans periodically and fortuitously, we are at that point again.
To move us forward, I am pleased to announce the launch of the Presidential Initiative on the Campus Master Plan. Under the leadership of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Kimberly Andrews Espy, this task force will establish a framework for the development of UTSA’s campuses over the next decade.
Assisting the task force will be Page, a highly-respected architecture firm with vast experience developing master plans for universities around the world. Some of you may remember Page as the architects of our North Paseo Building on the Main Campus.
Master plan priorities will be determined over the course of the initiative, considering needs such as:
Creating a master plan with staying power is a process that can’t be rushed. The timeline for this initiative spans an entire calendar year but builds in plentiful opportunities for internal and external community engagement.
This is where we can use your help. In the next few months, the task force will hold meetings with UTSA faculty, staff and students to gather input and information regarding space use. There will be several opportunities for all Roadrunners to share their thoughts, including a campus-wide survey and at least two open forums.
Taking the time to hear from our external stakeholders is equally important. This will be the case for both our Downtown and Main Campuses, including our Park West property.
As one of our first steps, UTSA has partnered with the Urban Land Institute to conduct a visioning session with larger institutions interested in the economic development of San Antonio’s near Westside. Moreover, our work with Page will involve conversations with private property owners, civic organizations and neighborhood groups in the near Westside. The results—which will start to become available in August—will inform the guiding principles for our Downtown Campus master planning efforts.
In the weeks to come we will launch a separate presidential initiative for our Hemisfair Park Campus and the Institute of Texan Cultures. As part of this effort, we will bring in a museum consultant to assess the best options for the institute, its location and its collections.
This overall master planning initiative will not only shape UTSA’s physical presence, but also our integration with the city of San Antonio. Most importantly, the master plan will help us to create campus environments that inspire cogitation and discovery, furthering our ability to serve our students and solve society’s grandest challenges as San Antonio’s university for the world.
With appreciation,
Taylor Eighmy
Learn more about the UTSA strategic plan.
Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.