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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. May 2002 The University of Texas at San Antonio
ranked in the top 10 of all state agencies in the total percentage of
purchases made to historically underutilized businesses, according to
a semi-annual report detailing the state's expenditure levels. Specifically,
the university ranked sixth on the percentage of dollars spent with
so-called adjusted historically underutilized businesses, firms that
not only are women or minority-owned but also severely under-represented
in their field, such as construction. UTSA spent $16 million during
the year so far with $3.3 million--or 20.68 percent spent with minority
firms. A doctor of philosophy degree in English
that combines traditional literary studies with Latin/Latino studies
will be offered by the University of Texas at San Antonio beginning
Fall 2002. The new doctoral program is designed to prepare faculty to
teach English language and culture in a culturally diverse global society.
The new Ph.D. will be housed in the Department of English, Classics,
and Philosophy in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts. The first students
will be admitted to the program in the fall. The University of Texas System approved a major
expansion of its statewide initiative to better train public school
teachers and improve the academic performance of their students. The
"Every Child, Every Advantage," initiative will include new
programs for teacher education, professional development and research-based
instructional programs in elementary and secondary schools. Regents
also approved three new graduate degree programs for the University
of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and authorized the planning
process for graduate-level programs in sports sciences that would involve
collaboration among the UTHSC, UTSA and UT-Austin. A new poll shows a majority of San Antonio residents
oppose the City Council's decision to approve a development plan for
the PGA Village golf resort. The survey by the University of Texas at
San Antonio's Metropolitan Research and Policy Institute showed that
57 percent of the 330 San Antonio residents polled disagree with the
council's vote last month in favor of the resort. Thirty-six precent
agreed with the decision, while the remaining 7 percent did not answer
or had no opinion. When asked how they would vote on the PGA proposal
if the issue went to a vote, 57 percent said they would vote against
it, and 35 percent said they would vote for it. Eight percent said they
were not sure. A petition effort is under way to try to force a vote
on the resort. Encouraging private property owners to conserve
and restore their lands will be the key to making environmental progress
in the future, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton said Saturday
in San Antonio. Norton, gave the commencement address during graduation
ceremonies for the University of Texas at San Antonio's College of Sciences
and College of Education and Human Development. Over 1,700 graduation
candidates participated in three separate ceremonies for UTSA's six
colleges. Nearly a year after funding problems
forced the University of Texas at San Antonio to dismantle its center
on women and gender studies, university officials are close to establishing
a Women's Studies Institute and a companion resource center they say
will exceed the scope of the original center. The decision to establish
the two components came after a panel proposed the idea to UTSA President
Ricardo Romo following its report on meeting needs of women, faculty,
staff and students. The panel was formed at Romo's direction after the
university last year restructured the Center for the Study of Women
and Gender and two other centers because of budgetary constraints. One month after San Antonio's chief
competitor exhorted the city to back out of the race for the 2007 Pan
American Games, national Olympic commitee officials from Pan American
countries said they were glad San Antonio remained as a candidate. The
delegates toured UTSA, and the drive by its dorms elicited approval
over their potential as an athletes village. Officials
also said they liked the lack of heavy traffic on the city streets and
highways. The committee will select either San Antonio or Rio de Janeiro
in August. Business students from the University
of Texas at San Antonio will work with students at 50 middle and high
schools this fall in a program to give teens a head start in the business
world. UTSA is joining with Junior Achievement to send students from
UTSA's business communication and professional development classes into
area schools to teach "success skills." The plan is an outgrowth
of a pilot program that took place in area high schools this year. University of Texas at San Antonio President Ricardo
Romo signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a partnership
with the Harlandale Education Foundation (HEF) to match scholarships
from that organization for graduates of Harlandale Independent School
District high schools who choose to attend UTSA. The money HEF uses
to support students comes from donors with variety of backgrounds and
financial resources. (San Antonio Express-News 5/19/02 3J) Comments or
questions to Kris Rodriguez
(krodriguez@utsa.edu)
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