JUNE 10, 2022 — Bexar County Commissioners Court this week gave preliminary approval to an award of $10 million to UT Health San Antonio and UTSA for development of The University of Texas School of Public Health San Antonio.
The allocation is from Bexar County’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and will support startup programmatic, operational and educational costs including renovation of existing spaces at UT Health San Antonio and UTSA. A student census of almost 400 is planned within the first five years, with a Master of Public Health degree to be offered beginning in 2024 and a Doctor of Public Health degree program to be developed.
The University of Texas System Board of Regents recognized that the region’s persistent disparities in key health outcomes require a public health approach. In November 2021, the Regents voted to authorize UT Health San Antonio and UTSA to develop a new public health school.
“A free-standing, independent school of public health in South Texas has been a shared vision of the leadership of UT Health San Antonio and UTSA for some time,” UT Health San Antonio President Dr. William L. Henrich said. “Formation of The University of Texas School of Public Health San Antonio results from close collaboration between two UT System universities united around a shared mission to establish a research-intensive, community-centric school to improve health outcomes, reduce morbidity and mortality and educate the next generation of public health professionals for our city and region.”
“We are immensely grateful to our Bexar County Commissioners for their support and significant $10 million investment in this collaborative effort to meet the demand for public health education in San Antonio, as well as the growing public health needs of South Texas’ diverse population,” UTSA President Taylor Eighmy said. “Both institutions are deeply committed to building upon our areas of expertise to ensure the new School of Public Health becomes a regional leader in preparing the next generation of public health leaders while creating healthier communities.”
San Antonio is a majority-minority city that, with its large and growing Hispanic population, reflects the demographic future of the nation. Many areas of the city and South Texas region are identified as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. San Antonio is the largest city in the U.S. without a school of public health.
Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic produced a strong demand and need for public health education surrounding vaccination, masking, social distancing and handwashing. The new school will enable local residents to train for public health careers to meet ever-emerging health challenges.
“Bexar County is primed for a school of public health, and we are pleased that ARPA support will help create it,” Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said. “The pandemic that we have weathered demonstrated the need for public health solutions for our population more clearly than ever before.”
Total startup costs for the School of Public Health are budgeted at approximately $40 million, including existing building renovations, programmatic development and recruitment of a nationally renowned dean.
The public is invited to tour The University of Texas School of Public Health San Antonio website.
The University of Texas at San Antonio is a Tier One research university and a Hispanic Serving Institution specializing in cyber, health, fundamental futures and social-economic transformation. With more than 34,000 students, it is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan region.
UTSA advances knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. The university 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.
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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 CampusThe 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 CampusDr. 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 CampusThe 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 CampusBuilding 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.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 CampusCelebrate 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 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.
