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“UTSA
in the News” is a synopsis of items that have appeared in periodicals
mentioning UTSA, its faculty, staff, students and programs. December 2001 SBC Foundation has pledged $500,000
to help the University of Texas at San Antonio build a center for biotechnology,
science and engineering programs. The donation from SBC Communications'
philanthropic arm will help UTSA meet its obligation to raise $5 million
in matching funds for grants to build the $83 million building. The
university still needs to raise $1.6 million in donations. Other funding
will come from two Permanent University Fund grants totalling $54 millon
and from bonds. "This will enable us to build one of the biggest
educational buildings ever built in the state of Texas," said UTSA
President Ricardo Romo. More than 2,000 University of Texas
at San Antonio summer and fall 2001 graduates will be taking part in
winter commencement exercises at the the universities Convocation Center.
Among the highlights of the winter commencement will be the recognition
of UTSA's 50,000th graduate, who will take part in the school's morning
exercise. The San Antonio School District received
an $800,000 donation Tuesday from the H-E-B Grocery Co. to create a
college preparatory program for the students in conjunction with the
University of Texas at San Antonio. It will provide students with more
opportunities to take upper-level high school classes as well as dual-credit
college courses. The classes will be held at UTSA's Downtown Campus
and a block away at SASD's Navarro Campus. The program started this
fall with 36 students enrolled in advanced placement classes in calculus,
statistics and English IV. As small businesses struggle to keep
their heads above water, many entrepreneurs are adopting new strategies
to survive in the post-Sept. 11 economic climate. One source for free
advice and counseling is the Minority Business Development Center at
the University of Texas at San Antonio. MBDC director Fletcher Parks
said he has not heard about any horror stories yet about small businesses
closing up because of Sept. 11 and the recession. Parks' advice to small
businesses is to "be more entrepreneurial in the sense of looking
for better ways of delivering services. Collect your money all the time
and spend more money to promote business to increase its sales." The University of Texas at San Antonio
has received a $1 million gift--matching for the second time in as many
years the university's largest cash gift ever--to establish an endowed
chair in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts. The award, from the George
W. Brackenridge Foundation will establish the Sue. E. Denman Distinguished
Chair in American Literature and support UTSA's proposed doctoral program
in English. UTSA's new program is expected to draw students who want
to benefit from cross-cultural fusion of traditional literatures, Latino
and Latina studies, African American literature and writing. (San Antonio Express-News 12/19/01 1D) When Harlandale School District trustees
decided in 1989 to send every high school graduate out the door with
a college scholarship, it was a bold and unusual step. The problem was
how to pay for it. Officials had six months to create a foundation,
develop guidelines and raise money. Over the last three years, they
have raised over $217,00 by various means. Students are also allowed
up to three years after graduation to apply for the money, which was
a boon for Sara Gonzales, a sophomore at the University of Texas at
San Antonio who started using the money from the scholarship this year. Comments or
questions to Kris Rodriguez
(krodriguez@utsa.edu)
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