Rogelio Saenz named dean of UTSA College of Public Policy
Rogelio Saenz

Rogelio Saenz
(Dec. 10, 2010)--Rogelio Saenz, a faculty member at Texas A&M University since 1986, has been named dean of the UTSA College of Public Policy. He will begin his duties June 1, 2011.
A sociologist and social demographer, Saenz is the author of numerous publications related to Latinos, demography, race and ethnic relations, immigration and inequality. He is a co-editor of the 2008 book "Latinas/os in the United States: Changing the Face of America."
"After an extensive national search for a new dean, I am delighted to announce that Rogelio Saenz will be leading the College of Public Policy," said John Frederick, UTSA provost and vice president for academic affairs. "Dr. Saenz is an accomplished instructor and administrator with a proven ability to collaborate with different disciplines and colleges within a university. He has an active research agenda and a vision for developing research programs in COPP in support of UTSA's goal of becoming a premier research university."
Saenz grew up in the Rio Grande Valley in Mercedes, Texas, and earned a bachelor's degree in social work and sociology from Pan American University (now UT Pan American). He earned master's and doctoral degrees in sociology from Iowa State University.
He joined Texas A&M in 1986 as an assistant professor in the sociology and rural sociology departments; he was promoted to associate professor in 1991 and full professor in 1996. He served as head of the Department of Sociology from 1997 to 2005. In 2007, Saenz was appointed Carsey Policy Fellow at the University of New Hampshire Carsey Institute, and in 2008, he was appointed College of Liberal Arts Cornerstone Faculty Fellow at Texas A&M.
"I am happy to be joining the College of Public Policy," Saenz said. "I have seen the growth that has taken place at UTSA, and I see a lot of possibilities for setting up collaborative relationships across the university. In addition to strengthening the programs that exist in the college, my goal is to increase external research funding and set up interdisciplinary teams that would be able to pursue funding and critical issues that are important to the people in South Texas, Texas and the nation as a whole."
Saenz will replace Dennis Haynes, UTSA professor of social work, who has served as interim dean of the college since 2008. Haynes succeeded founding dean Jesse Zapata, who presently serves as vice provost of the UTSA Downtown Campus and for academic and faculty support.
Located at the UTSA Downtown Campus, the College of Public Policy enrolls more than 1,300 students with more than 400 graduate students in the criminal justice, demography, public administration and social work departments. The college offers four graduate and two undergraduate programs including the new bachelor of public administration degree approved to begin in fall 2011. Additionally, the Center for Policy Studies and the Institute for Demographic and Socioeconomic Research are housed within the college.
Events
Join the UTSA community in celebrating the life of Dr. Thelma Duffey.
Aula Canaria (BV 1.328), Buena Vista Building, Downtown CampusThe proposed annual BME Research Symposium will allow students to present their undergraduate research free of charge, providing them with the opportunity to network and build their professional skills.
H-E-B Student Union Ballroom 1 & 2, Main CampusThe UTSA Marches Committee, in partnership with the Cesar E. Chavez Legacy and Education Foundation, invites everyone to the 27th annual Cesar E. Chavez March for Justice. This event is in conjunction with the "Yes We CAN" food donation drive with the San Antonio Food Bank. Guests are encouraged to bring canned food items with them to the march to deposit cans into barrels before the march begins.
1310 Guadalupe St, San Antonio, TX 78207Join us to learn about how Impostor Syndrome can affect your career decisions and how you view yourself, your knowledge, and abilities. You will leave with actionable items related to implementing coping strategies for symptoms that may arise in your career development (mentally, physically, emotionally).
University Career Center (S.U. 2.02.04,) Main CampusJoin UTSA librarians for this introductory workshop for early career faculty on how to build your online scholarly identity.
John Peace Library, GroupSpot BJoin the conversation with Karleen Pendleton Jimenez, a professor in the Department of Gender and Social Justice at Trent University.
Virtual EventLearn to use the dynamic tool VMOCK to assist you in your job/internship search. Evaluate your resume. Get feedback on your "elevator pitch" and on how you engage in verbal communication virtually and in-person.
Multidisciplinary Studies (MS 2.02.36,) Main Campus