SAN ANTONIO – A historic merger is coming to San Antonio.
The University of Texas System Board of Regents announced merger plans Thursday morning during their executive session to combine the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) and UT-Health into one unified institution in 2025.
UT Systems Board of Regents Chairman Kevin P. Eltife said the new partnership improves each institution, adding that it was time to combine the talent, size, and scale of both schools, as it would “multiply their roles as global leaders in education, healthcare, and innovation.”
“By bringing together all of their complementary and unique strengths, we will give Texans access to the best education, discoveries, and health care imaginable, while accelerating the university’s trajectory as a top U.S. and global university,” Eltife said.
To lead the future university, Eltife and the board of regents unanimously voted during their executive session for UTSA President Taylor Eighmy to be at the helm. Eighmy will be responsible for 40,000 students, more than 15,900 staff members, approximately 4,000 faculty, and 1,400 healthcare providers.
Other details that officials gave on the future institution are that it would have $467 million allocated for research expenditures, a combined budget of $2.2 billion, an endowment of $1.1 billion and more than $6 billion in direct economic impact.
UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken spoke about the partnership’s impact, saying that the state of Texas would benefit “immensely,” adding the state would see a greater public impact and enhancement in global competitiveness.
“This initiative is about expanding and growing to align with the needs of the region and state, and to maximize the potential of two UT institutions that exist only miles apart,” Milliken said.
Other benefits that officials said the new school would have are the following:
- New heights in securing research funding
- Forging more industry and government partnerships
- Attracting more “transformative philanthropic investments”
- Pioneering groundbreaking innovations
To learn more about the future institution, click here.
The University of Texas System Historic Annoucment by rgarza on Scribd
