COMING UP: UTSA Inaugural State of the University Address
Just a quick FYI … UTSA President Ricardo Romo will deliver the very first State of the University Address on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 3:00 PM.
The State of the University Address will take place in the University Center Ballroom (UC 1.01.04) in the new UC III at the UTSA Main Campus.
I will be there and either film it and post it here or just take the usual photos and wait (or hope) that the University posts a streaming video online. Either way I will be there at this inaugural event.
- More information when its released.
Could Merging UTSA & UTHSCSA be the Answer?
The idea has returned to look into a merger between the University of Texas-San Antonio and the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio. This would hopefully be able to help the combined UTSA-UTHSC reach Tier One status. This is the overall goal of the UTSA and San Antonio community. This is from an article in the San Antonio Express-News:
By Melissa Ludwig and Gary Scharrer - Express-News
When Ricardo Romo became president of the University of Texas at San Antonio a decade ago, he resolved to transform the sleepy commuter campus into a premier research university.
Today, UTSA is one of the fastest-growing universities in Texas and quickly is shedding its commuter label as it attracts more high-quality students and professors. But the goal of joining the ranks of top-notch research universities still is decades away.
That reality has prompted a handful of San Antonio lawmakers and community leaders to float the idea of merging UTSA with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, a move that could catapult the combined institution to the top of the heap among Texas universities vying for “Tier One” distinction.
After years of urging, state lawmakers passed a bill this spring that lays out a pathway to flagship status and a pot of money for seven emerging research institutions, including UTSA and the University of Texas at El Paso. But in keeping with the history of higher education in Texas, the terms of competition seem to favor wealthier schools while short-changing South Texas and border institutions that serve a large population of minority students.
For Romo, it must be deja vu.
At a UT System Board of Regents meeting he attended soon after being named president of UTSA, regents skipped right over UTSA and the UTEP when talking about which institution would be Texas’ next flagship research university.
Romo looked at Diana Natalicio, president of UTEP, and said: “What are we, chopped liver?”
But merging UTSA with the health science center would give the combined institution significant firepower. UTSA’s federal research spending would jump from $22 million per year to a combined $117 million, marching the institution to the front of the line for receiving money under the state’s flagship bill.
It also would help San Antonio compete outside Texas, where most top research universities include a medical school.
“We would be the next Tier One. No question about that,” said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio.
Van de Putte built political support for a merger back in 2001, but regents concluded the time wasn’t ripe, the schools’ missions too different.
Search for UTSA Arsonist, $5,000 Reward Offered
BREAKING NEWS out of UTSA. San Antonio Crime Stoppers have announced a $5,000 reward for information resulting in the arrest of those responsible for an arson at the University. The fires occured in the still under construction Engineering Building II on the South End of the Main Campus out on Loop 1604. This is the breif story from News 4 WOAI:
SAN ANTONIO — The search is on for an arsonist who set a building on fire at UTSA.
The fire was set February 21st at the Engineering Building 2. That building was under construction and the fire caused about $120,000 in damage.
If you know anything about the fire, please call 210-224-STOP. Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward.
If you have any information you can call the Crime Stoppers hotline at (210) 224-STOP or call the University Police at UTSA at (210) 452-4242. Click here for a flyer from Crime Stoppers about the investigation.
Breaking: UTSA Men’s B-Ball Advances to Second Round of SLC
83 – 74 is the final score as the UTSA Roadrunners Men’s Basketball team defeats the Sam Houston State Bobcats in the First Round of the SLC (Southland Conference) tournament in Katy, TX. The Runners were the No. 6 seed and the Bobcats the No. 3 seed.
UTSA snaps a 9-game losing streak against the SHSU Bobcats dating back to Feb 14, 2004. They will go on to the semi-final round and face the Nicholls State team that defeated UTSA’s I-35 Rival Texas State. That game is tomorrow at 6:00PM CT … more information soon at www.goutsa.com or www.southland.org
UTSA is just two games away from being able to dance in the NCAA Tournament.
FYI: No. 2 seed UTSA heads to the State Farm Southland Conference semifinals for the fourth year in a row after dispatching seventh-seeded McNeese State, 71-52, in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. The Roadrunners will face the No. 6 Northwestern State Lady Demons in a noon contest on Friday at the Merrell Center in Katy.
GO RUNNERS!!
BREAKING: UTSA Deal with Coker Done Deal, Presser Set for Friday
News 4 WOAI’s Don Harris is on top of it again tonight. Yesterday we brought you the rumors that Larry Coker would likely be hired by the University of Texas-San Antonio to be the school’s first ever head coach. Tonight sources say that the deal is done, and Coker is UTSA’s man. The sources say that UTSA President Ricardo Romo has signed off on the deal and that Coker has been informed of the University’s selection.
A formal press conference is slated to happen on Friday. No location has been announced or if it will be open to the public and students. If it is … I will be there and bring you the information as always.
GO RUNNERS!
BREAKING: UTSA Likely to Hire Coker as Head FB Coach
The University of Texas at San Antonio, which is adding San Antonio’s first and only Division-I football program, may be close to hiring the program’s first Head Coach. Sources tell News 4 WOAI’s Don Harris that the offer will be made to former Miami (FL) Head Coach Larry Coker. This from woaitv.com:
News 4 WOAI has learned that the interview process ended on Tuesday. Coker, Tulsa’s Paul Randolph, and Mel Tjeerdsma from Northwest Missouri were all in town for interviews this week.
UTSA Athletic Director Lynn Hickey would not confirm that Coker is the choice saying that a decision on the coach has not been made. She said she will not rush to get a deal done.
However, Hickey added “if things come together quickly an announcement could come as early as Friday.”
UTSA would like to do that because it would be ideal to introduce the new coach before students go on spring break.
Coker was a great coach at the University of Miami, with a 60-15 overall record. He led the Hurricanes to 6 straight bowl games, and a National Championship in his first season. He was released from Miami after his first and only 6-6 season. Here is a breakdown of his Head Coach history, all 6 years of which came with Miami (FL):
Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl Coaches# AP° Miami Hurricanes (Big East Conference) (2001–2003) 2001 Miami 12-0 7-0 1st W Rose Bowl † 1 1 2002 Miami 12-1 7-0 1st L Fiesta Bowl † 2 2 2003 Miami 11-2 6-1 1st W Orange Bowl † 5 5 Miami Hurricanes (Atlantic Coast Conference) (2004–2006) 2004 Miami 9-3 5-3 W Peach Bowl 11 11 2005 Miami 9-3 6-2 L Peach Bowl 18 17 2006 Miami 7-6 3-5 W MPC Computers Bowl Miami: 60-15 34-11 Total: 60-15 National Championship Conference Title Conference Division Title
†Indicates BCS bowl game. #Rankings from final Coaches Poll of the season.
Coker looks to be a good choice for the Roadrunners to start their organization. I doubt that everyone is expecting a National Championship right out the gate … but he will help the Runners build a quality program. If there is an announcement on campus on Friday I will be there and bring you the information as soon as possible (the benefits of being a college student).
Perry 2010
