21st Century University Commission Continues Gathering Ideas in Week Two

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS – OCTOBER 3, 2012 – The second meeting of the 21st Century University Commission will take place from 6–8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 4 at Salón Cassia in the Education and Business Complex on University Boulevard. 

This will be the second of four meetings over four consecutive weeks that are designed to give interested parties an opportunity to share their ideas in conceptualizing The University of Texas at Brownsville of the future. 

The first meeting was attended by about 200 faculty, staff, students and the public in El Gran Salón of the Student Union on Thursday, Sept. 27. The first half of that meeting was a general session; the attendees then broke into seven groups to discuss specific topics. 

At this week’s meeting, groups will continue to review their topics and determine ideas, with the goal of producing a list of recommendations by the third meeting on Oct. 10. 

Dr. Juliet V. García, President of UTB, said the UT System Board of Regents is expected to have made a decision about the university’s future site by the first of next year. 

“But you can’t build a campus for a university that is yet undefined,” she said. “So this means that all of our planning must take place in a very compressed timeline. We are not asking you to just think 10 years out, but to think about 20, 30, and 40 years from now. What kind of university will our students need? What kind of graduates will our community need?” 

In addition to the campus meetings, groups are convening at six off-site venues in Harlingen, Port Isabel, Raymondville, Los Fresnos, Donna and San Benito, where they are linked to the seven work groups via online webcast. These groups are being hosted by superintendents, Development Board members, city leaders, students, faculty and staff. 

The seven work groups are addressing the following guiding concerns: 

• The unique attributes of an education at UT Brownsville
• Pathways through College to 21st Century Careers
• The Successful Student-to-Graduate Model
• Student Life:  On-Campus, On-Line and On-Site
• Innovative Technology for Teaching, Learning and Connections
• A Well-Funded University Model 
• University: A Family Affair 

 The three guiding principles that participants are being urged to keep at the forefront of discussion are:

• Creating a teaching, learning and discovery environment that will develop a complete graduate with advanced critical thinking skills and the capacity for lifelong learning.
• Creating a university that will be known as a place of innovation built alongside a culture of agility and adaptability.
• Accomplishing the first two principles while keeping UTB an affordable and accessible institution.

Off-campus meeting sites are:

Donna – ISD Administration Building, 116 N. 10th St.

Harlingen – TSTC University Center, 2424 Boxwood

Los Fresnos – CISD boardroom, 32590 State Highway 100

Port Isabel – ISD boardroom, 101 Port Road

San Benito – CISD boardroom, 240 N. Crockett

Raymondville – Rural Technical Skills Training Center, 700 FM 3168

Check-in and refreshments begin at 5:30 p.m. and the meetings begin at 6 p.m.

The public is invited to attend all the sessions of the 21st Century Commission; future dates and locations are:

Thursday, Oct. 4, Salón Cassia

Wednesday, Oct. 10, El Gran Salón

Wednesday, Oct. 17, Salón Cassia