UTSA Update - The University of Texas at San Antonio

It's first and 10 for UTSA's recently approved football program. In December, the University of Texas System Board of Regents approved UTSA's Athletic Initiative Business Plan granting the university permission to expand athletics and add a football program. UTSA will fund the athletics initiative through student fees, corporate and private support, and other revenue streams that do not draw from the institutional academic budget. If fundraising and hiring goals are met, UTSA could be playing football by 2012.

UTSA hosts successful Southwest Guitar Festival

The UTSA Department of Music recently wrapped up a very successful Southwest Guitar Festival. The largest acoustic guitar festival in the United States featured concerts by some of the best international acoustic guitar performers as well as student guitarists representing 15 countries. The festival was co-sponsored by Arts! San Antonio, City of San Antonio Office of Cultural Affairs, San Antonio Chamber Music Society and the San Antonio Symphony.

UTSA early-voting site draws more than 8,400

During the 2008 election cycle, UTSA’s 1604 Campus proved to be a popular early-voting site. By the end of October, more than 8,400 Bexar County citizens cast their votes at UTSA's Main Building.

Education college to offer new Ph.D. in learning and teaching

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recently approved UTSA's 21st doctoral degree program, a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary learning and teaching. The program will begin next fall and will draw from an applicant pool of K-12 teachers and community college instructors from the San Antonio area and across the nation. Students will learn to examine and research the interdisciplinary issues and perspectives of learning, teaching and curricular development associated with education for culturally and economically diverse populations.

UTSA named to president's higher education honor roll

The Corporation for National and Community Service recently honored UTSA with a place on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts and service to America's communities. Launched in 2006, the community service honor roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement.

UTSA collaborates on retrospectives for M.F.A. alumna

UTSA, the San Antonio Museum of Art and the Southwest School of Art and Craft are collaborating on a trio of exhibitions featuring the work of Marcia Gygli King, M.F.A. '80. King has produced work across multiple genres including feminist critiques and her latest work reflecting contemporary cultures of consumption. The UTSA Gallery will exhibit "The Culture Series" through March 1 with "Spontaneous Combustion" at Southwest School of Art and Craft through March 29 and "Botanical Paintings" at SAMA through April 12.

UTSA breaks giving record in state charity campaign

UTSA staff and faculty participated in record numbers in the 2008 State Employee Charitable Campaign. At 76 percent, UTSA's participation rate was the highest among the 19 Texas four-year public universities with more than 1,000 employees. More than $228,302 was raised to support a variety of charities and nonprofit organizations.

UTSA students create plans to restore historic firehouse

Fire Station 11, an historic building near the UTSA Downtown Campus that hasn't been a working fire station since the late 1990s, recently became a laboratory for architecture and historic preservation students. William Dupont, UTSA's San Antonio Conservation Society Endowed Chair for Historic Preservation, helped create the memorandum of agreement that allows his advanced studio students access to the privately owned structure. Dupont and UTSA continue to seek grants and private donations to carry out the rehabilitation. The spring 2009 graduate studio will continue an evaluation of Fire Station 11 and determine business plans for new uses and requirements to rehabilitate the building.

Gette named executive director of UTSA's Institute of Texan Cultures

Timothy J. Gette, former executive director of the Virginia Museum of Natural History, is the new executive director of UTSA's Institute of Texan Cultures. A native Texan, Gette received a bachelor's degree in journalism from Angelo State University in San Angelo and a master's in management from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. "The ITC has told the story of Texans and our cultures since 1968, and I am motivated by the prospect of finding fresh new ways to share these important accounts while identifying new stories that need to be told," Gette said.

Seven UTSA alumni named Business Journal rising stars

It's called "40 Under 40 Rising Stars," and in 2008, seven UTSA alumni were selected by the San Antonio Business Journal for inclusion in this prestigious list. The journal's annual publication honors those who are making a difference in San Antonio's business and civic community. These seven include UTSA Alumni Association board members Danny Zimmermann '01 and Rob Killen '97, as well as UTSA alumni Charissa Barnes '98, Nancy Ozuna '93, Kaushalya Subramaniam '00, Mary Ellen Trevino '97 and Phillip Washington '06.

Regents honor former Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr.

The University of Texas System Board of Regents honored former Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. with the Santa Rita award, its highest distinction. The governor and the late Janey Briscoe (both UT Austin graduates) have made gift commitments of more than $26 million to UT System institutions across the state during nearly 70 years of involvement with Texas higher education.

UTSA wins $1.8M to continue chlamydia research

The National Institutes of Health awarded researchers at UTSA's South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases a $1.8 million grant (over the next five years) to study the pathogenesis of Chlamydia trachomatis, the bacterium that causes human genital chlamydia. It is estimated that at least 2.2 million people in the United States are infected with chlamydia. Bernard Arulanandam, UTSA professor of microbiology and immunology and the study's principal investigator, will work with a research team to document in more detail how chlamydia causes pelvic inflammatory disease.

Federal funds aid UTSA energy combustion study

The U.S. Department of Energy awarded more than $199,000 to the UTSA College of Engineering for a 24-month grant to study energy combustion and ways to control air pollutants. "This is one of the first grants we have received at UTSA to study clean combustion, gasification and energy efficiency," said Efstathios Michaelides, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the study's principal investigator.

UTSA physics Ph.D. recognized by higher education coordinating board

Each year, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recognizes programs that are helping to close the gaps in access to higher education. The UTSA physics Ph.D. program, in collaboration with the Southwest Research Institute, was recently honored as a Texas Star finalist for its contributions to student success. The Ph.D. program started just four years ago and has a number of collaborative programs with research institutions including a joint astronomy program with SRI.

Roadside assistance woes inspire engineering team to create emergency notification application

You never know when inspiration will strike. When David Akopian, UTSA assistant professor of electrical engineering, called for roadside assistance only to get stuck in an automated message system after his cell phone battery died, he decided to find a better way to get help. Working with C. L. Philip Chen, professor and chair of UTSA's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and graduate student Abhinav Kumar, the three invented a computer application to make reaching emergency services easier. The concept called PRENOTIS is now in the patent process and the team has hopes for commercial development.

UTSA opens health disparities initiative

San Antonio is plagued with high rates of diabetes, hypertension and obesity. To address these pervasive health problems, the UTSA Office of the Vice President for Research recently established the Health Disparities Task Force. The task force will assess the interest, expertise and opportunities for UTSA to commit to a multidisciplinary effort in health disparity research and education; develop partnerships; and establish goals and resources.

UTSA selected for Cibolo Preserve research projects

UTSA students will study environmental sustainability, water resource management, archeology, biology, geology and climate change in a 500-acre outdoor laboratory known as Cibolo Preserve. A memorandum of understanding was signed last fall by UTSA Vice President for Research Robert Gracy and philanthropist Bill Lende, owner of Herff Falls Ranch, where the property is located.

February 21: Diploma Dash

It's the silver anniversary of the UTSA Alumni Association's annual dash for cash, a certified 5K course that is expected to bring more than 1,000 runners and racers to the UTSA 1604 Campus. A scenic 1.5-mile course also is available. Proceeds benefit scholarships and other alumni programs. Read details on UTSA Today.

February 24: Great Conversation!

Good food + good conversation = a great cause. The annual Great Conversation! benefits the UTSA Honors College. Join tables of community leaders and UTSA faculty for this special event. Make reservations now.

February 26-28: UTSA Homecoming 2009

This year's homecoming theme is "Tradition-Spirit-Pride." The weekend's activities include the annual Golf Cart Parade, receptions, tours and the UTSA men's basketball game against the Lamar University Cardinals. See the full schedule of UTSA Homecoming 2009 events.

March 16: Monday Night Artist Series -- Jennifer Root '02

Spend a very special evening with the Houston Grand Opera Studio's Jennifer Root, a UTSA graduate in vocal performance. In four seasons with the Houston Grand Opera Studio, the talented soprano has had principal roles in "Aida," "Madame Butterfly" and more. Tickets are $10/$5 or free with UTSACard. For more information call (210) 458-5682.

July 19-27: Alumni Travel -- Eastern Canada

Want some relief from the next San Antonio summer? Pack your bags for a July 19-27 alumni trip to Eastern Canada including Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City and Toronto. For more information, visit the UTSA Alumni Programs Web site or call (210) 458-4133.

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