(Jan. 30, 2019) -- UTSA today announced the creation of the Department of Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality Studies (REGSS) in the UTSA College of Education and Human Development. The new department, effective Sept. 1, will give students within the program areas of African American Studies, Mexican American Studies and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies greater opportunity to promote equity and intellectual dialogue, better preparing them for the issues society faces.
“The new department is a significant example of UTSA’s commitment to being a model of student success while fostering growth and innovative excellence,” said UTSA Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Kimberly Andrews Espy. “We know that students who learn in an open and inclusive environment succeed, and this department will be part of cultivating that success.”
>> Learn more about the UTSA Department of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.
Throughout its 50-year existence, UTSA has proactively created avenues for inclusivity through the creation of organizations such as the Consortium for Social Transformation, Somos Mexican American Studies and the Women’s Studies Institute.
Community outreach has included events that have built bridges through conversation and engagement between UTSA’s diverse communities and the greater San Antonio community.
“We have the potential to help our students not only feel included at the university but to also make an impact toward a more equal and just world,” said Marco Cervantes, interim department chair of REGSS. “We will continue to stay devoted to student and community voices as we work toward building and strengthening the department.”
One of the first priorities of the new department will be to create a Bachelor of Arts degree in African American Studies, which currently is offered at UTSA as a minor. While UTSA already offers bachelor’s degrees in Mexican American Studies and Women’s Studies, the additional structure, representation and support that an academic department provides will allow these programs to give students even more courses and community outreach opportunities.
“Establishing the Department of Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality Studies illustrates UTSA’s commitment to preparing culturally responsible citizens who are active collaborators and agents of positive change through scholarship, service and teaching to build equitable and just communities,” said Marie “Keta” Miranda, UTSA professor of bilingual-bicultural studies.
The search for a permanent department chair is underway. The department’s five-year plan includes conducting national searches for additional faculty, including endowed chairs, for all three programs within the department. The plan also includes developing research centers and increasing the capacities of UTSA’s existing Women’s Studies Institute.
“The ongoing work of the faculty in the programs included in REGSS have been integral to the equalization of both student and faculty experiences at UTSA and have a profound effect on our students and communities at a time when inclusivity is being challenged and our communities are becoming estranged from one another,” said Margo DelliCarpini, dean of the UTSA College of Education and Human Development.
“The new department will prepare students for a world faced with concerns about inequity, the value of diversity and inclusivity,” she added. “Our current faculty have dedicated their workto supporting inclusive excellence at the university and the development of this department will only strengthen the great work that has been happening at UTSA for years.”
As society grapples with complex issues surrounding race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality, programs such as this can be invaluable training to UTSA students, as the next generation of leaders, and provide meaningful resources to the communities the university serves.
Students who pursue their degrees in REGSS will be prepared to engage in discussions and action that surround social justice in academic, legal and non-profit fields, leading as effective agents of change in our society.
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Come experience a Hispanic Market with us!
Rowdy StatueWe will be reading For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts by Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez. We will meet on Zoom to discuss the book. The book is free for students who request it, please email multicultural@utsa.edu to request the book and/or to join the Book Club and receive messages and information about this and future readings and discussions.
Virtual EventCome and practice your Spanish in a friendly and engaging environment! You will also learn about Hispanic cultures with us as we play games, watch videos, sing, and participate in many other language and cultural activities! All levels are welcome! ¡Nos vemos!
Willow Room (SU 2.02.12,) Main CampusIn partnership with UTSA Libraries and the Consulado General de México en San Antonio, Carriqui will host Ven a Tomar, where guests will sample mezcal, cocktails and unique bites to celebrate UTSA's Mexican Cookbook Collection.
Carriqui, 239 E Grayson St San Antonio, TX 78215The UTSA Orchestra will be performing Rapsodia Mexicana, a captivating concert celebrating Mexican music and the confluence of cultures in South Texas. Joined by organist Colin Campbell (Texas A&M International University) and UTSA's Mariachi Los Paisanos, watch as the orchestra brings to life the essence of Hispanic culture through their powerful performances.
UTSA Recital Hall, Main CampusA fun night for UTSA students to relax and play loteria. Student Success Centers will also have recourses for students to learn more about programs and services.
Denman Ballroom (SU 2.01.28,) Main CampusCome play a game of Loteria sponsored by the UTSA College of Education and Human Development (COEHD), UTSA College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA) and UTSA Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Willow Room (SU 2.02.12,) Main CampusThe 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.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education.
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.
