UTSA Update - The University of Texas at San Antonio

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved a UTSA master of arts degree in communication. The program, which starts in fall 2005, is based on integrated communications with a focus on developing broad perspectives in research, critical thinking and creativity. Degree candidates can complete 15 credit hours of core courses and either nine credit hours on a thesis or project or 15 credit hours of electives. Courses range from new media design to international and intercultural communication.

UTSA Business and Technology Center renamed 'Monterey Building'

UTSA has purchased the Monterey Building, formerly the Business Technology Center, as an addition to the Downtown Campus. "The Monterey Building will allow us to adequately support the School of Architecture as well as provide additional services for students, faculty and staff," said UTSA Downtown Campus Vice Provost Jesse Zapata. The building at 301 S. Frio Street has four stories totaling 91,650 square feet.

UTSA students climb to new heights

The UTSA Campus Recreation Center is now home to the tallest climbing wall at a university in Texas. The new wall stands at 54 feet with routes for every level of student climber. "The bouldering area is an awesome area for training, learning different moves and how to balance your weight," says Megan Alexander, assistant director for outdoor pursuits. The wall offers a full-body workout for climbers, who use their legs as well as their arms.

Board of Regents approves UT System tuition rates

The UT System Board of Regents March 10 approved tuition and fee rates for fall 2005 after reviewing campus proposals submitted to the UT System. UT campuses were instructed last fall to keep tuition and fee increases at approximately 5 percent or less, barring exceptional circumstances and need.

The majority of tuition and fee increases approved by the board, including statutory tuition, designated tuition and all mandatory fees, were at or below 5 percent for full-time resident undergraduate students. Last spring, UTSA students had approved 13 percent fee increases for fall 2005 to support expansion of recreational programs.

UTSA researcher nets $1 million for bone study

Xiadou Wang, UTSA associate professor of mechanical engineering and biomechanics, has been awarded a $1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study bone fractures in post-menopausal women and the elderly. The four-year study is a collaborative effort with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the University of Tennessee Health Center at Memphis. Wang’s team will analyze bone tissue samples from three age groups to identify changes in bone quality.

Don Lien, professor of economics in the UTSA College of Business, was named the top finance researcher in the nation. The rankings, provided by the SIRCA financial ranking system, were based on his research from 2000 to 2005 in the top 17 finance journals. Lien’s primary field of interest is in the futures market with supporting areas in economics and statistics. “Research tends to be fashionable,” said Lien, who also directs the college’s international business programs office. “I stay current by constantly reading the works of other scholars and generating my own research.” Additionally UTSA faculty member Yiuman Tse, professor of finance, was ranked in the top 20.

The art of conversation is alive and well at UTSA

The idea that stimulating table conversation may be a dying art was certainly not evident Feb. 16 at UTSA’s fifth annual “Great Conversation! La sobremesa,” a sold-out event at the Omni San Antonio Hotel that raised more than $124,500 for Honors College scholarships, including three new endowed scholarships. The 500 guests had animated and thought-provoking conversations on diverse topics. “What a wonderful evening,” proclaimed Associate Professor Harriett Romo, an honorary chair of the event, who announced that the fifth annual event had raised more Honors College scholarship funds than the previous four Great Conversations combined.

UTSA College of Engineering hosts expert on fuel cell technology

The UTSA College of Engineering and the San Antonio section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers present Ramesh Shah speaking on “Fuel Cell Technology: Myth or Reality?” at 7:15 p.m., Thursday, March 31 in Engineering Building Room 2.02.06, 1604 Campus. The event is free and open to the public. A research professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Shah earned doctoral and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering at Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree at Gujarat University (India).

UTSA art department hosts "Rooms with a View" tour April 9

The UTSA Department of Art and Art History will host its annual fund-raising event, "Rooms with a View," April 9. In support of art graduate scholarships, the tour will visit the collection of Cox Smith Matthews, Inc., which is focused on art by artists from Texas, and the Guillermo Nicolas collection of contemporary art. Lunch will be catered by Club Giraud. Tickets are $100 per person. For more information, contact the Department of Art and Art History at (210) 458-4352.

UTSA presents Fiesta Under the Stars April 22

The UTSA Department of Music and the San Antonio Fiesta Commission present “Fiesta Under the Stars: A Cole Porter Celebration” at 7:30 p.m., April 22 at Sombrilla Plaza, 1604 Campus. The concert features the music of Cole Porter as performed by UTSA voice and piano faculty, UTSA Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Women's Choir and Concert Choir. Table seating is available for a catered dinner before the show. Beginning April 1, call (210) 458-4357 for information and reservations. Proceeds benefit music scholarships.

458-ARTS line highlights UTSA arts and humanities events

Call (210) 458-ARTS (2787) for arts, entertainment and humanities event listings featuring UTSA students, faculty, staff and alumni. Listings are updated each Wednesday.

Coordinating Board approves UTSA master's in communication