UT System announces leadership transition for UTSA

Steve Leslie, UT System Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, today shared the following message with UTSA faculty, staff and students.

(March 3, 2017) -- Dear UTSA community,

With tremendous gratitude for your patience and understanding, I write to inform you that Dr. Ricardo Romo is stepping down as president and retiring from The University of Texas at San Antonio effective immediately. We are profoundly grateful for his service and for the privilege of working with him.

Below is a statement from Chancellor McRaven as well as a copy of Dr. Romo's statement.

The search process for a new president is proceeding as planned, and we look forward to appointing a president in the fall, prior to the start of the next academic year. In the meantime, Dr. Pedro Reyes will serve as president ad interim.

Sincerely,

Steve Leslie, Ph.D.
UT System Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Statement from Chancellor McRaven:
"I am grateful to President Ricardo Romo for the many accomplishments The University of Texas at San Antonio has achieved under his leadership. During his 18 years as president, he has put the University on a critical path toward Tier One status and changed the culture of education in San Antonio. I know that Ricardo and Harriett look forward to continuing their special relationship with the San Antonio community. I wish him all the best."

Statement from Ricardo Romo:
I have been made aware that the manner in which I embraced women made them uncomfortable and was inappropriate. I understand and respect Chancellor McRaven's concerns about my behavior and I deeply apologize for any conduct that offended anyone.

I have worked hard over the years with the dedicated staff of the Office of the President to serve UTSA with distinction and honor. I know that my dedicated staff is the very best anyone in my position could hope to have. Together we have achieved extraordinary success for UTSA.

My intent to retire in August of this year was announced in September of 2016. It is now my desire to step down as president and retire from UTSA effective immediately. This will eliminate the possibility of any distraction or disruption of the great work going on at UTSA.

I had planned to spend one year after retirement with the Institute of Texan Cultures. I am now declining the position of Director of the Texas History Center, and instead plan on continuing my work with Father David Garcia and San Antonio's World Heritage Designation efforts, as well as completing assignments for San Antonio's Tricentennial Celebration.

My love for UTSA is profound and there are no better students anywhere in America. I wish all Roadrunners the very best in their journeys as I continue to find new opportunities to serve my beloved San Antonio in the future.

GO ROADRUNNERS!

Dr. Ricardo Romo

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Events

Saturday, May 27, 10:00 a.m.

2023 Asian Festival San Antonio

San Antonio’s treasured Asian Festival returns on Saturday, May 27, 2023, at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Downtown Campus. In observance of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month the one-day performance, entertainment, and food event will celebrate the diverse Asian diaspora represented in South Texas and San Antonio. Come and enjoy one of San Antonio’s premier family-friendly events, with hands-on activities and opportunities to learn through experience.

UTSA Downtown Campus

Thursday, June 1, 7:00 a.m.

Texas Coalition for Heritage Spanish (TeCHS) Summer Workshop

The Texas Coalition for Heritage Spanish (TeCHS) seeks to provide a cooperative platform to support the success of Spanish heritage language speakers and their communities in Texas, assisting and promoting bicultural and bilingual development in the state.

River Walk Room (DBB 1.124,) Durango Building, Downtown Campus

Friday, June 2, 7:00 a.m.

Adventures in Science: The Michael P. Doyle Honorary Symposium

Dr. Michael Doyle has had an immense impact on the field of catalysis and organic chemistry. Join in a one-day symposium. In order to honor Dr. Doyle’s colossal career accomplishments with his upcoming retirement, we are holding a one day symposium event

Riklin Auditorium (FS 1.406,) Frio Street Building, Downtown Campus

Wednesday, June 21, 7:30 a.m.

2023 NHERI Summer Institute

The NHERI Summer Institute is a free event for early-career faculty, NHERI Graduate Student Council, K-12 educators from the San Antonio area, engineers, and researchers to learn more about the Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) community.

La Villita Room (DBB 1.116,) Durango Building, Main Campus

Thursday, September 14, 8:30 a.m.

Building the Dual Language Leader Symposium

Building the Dual Language Leader Symposium will provide a safe space for current and aspiring leaders to learn best practices, theories, policies, and systems that support a dual language bilingual education.

UTSA Southwest Campus, 300 Augusta St.

Friday, September 15, 6:00 p.m.

Spray the Word with Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson

Streaming of Spray the Word that will conclude with a discussion with San Antonio's Poet Laureate, Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson.

Aula Canaria (BVB 1.328,) Buena Vista Street Building, Downtown Campus

Wednesday, September 20, 11:00 a.m.

Calle UTSA

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at our very own street fair - Calle UTSA. We will have activities, performances, food, music, and pinatas to break open! All free to UTSA students, faculty, and staff.

Student Union Paseo, Main Campus

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Spotlight

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education.

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to ending generations of discrimination and inequity. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.