Initial plans introduced for integration of UTSA and UT Health San Antonio

SEPTEMBER 13, 2024 -Editor's note: The following message was sent via email from UTSA President Taylor Eighmy and UT Health San Antonio Acting President Robert Hromas to all faculty, staff and students.

It's been three weeks since we announced UT System's visionary intent to integrate UTSA and UT Health San Antonio to build a world-class university for our community, state, nation and the world. In that message, we shared our commitment to transparency and collaboration to ensure your voices are incorporated throughout this journey.

Today, we're pleased to introduce the integration process and share the launch of a new joint website to serve as a centralized hub of information about the integration. The website will evolve over time and serve as a key resource for updates, timelines and progress. Additionally, the site will highlight participation opportunities and a feedback form to share your thoughts or questions.

While we encourage you to visit the website, we also want to provide a high-level overview of what you can expect as we move forward.

The integration will result in building the foundation of a world-class university.
This integration is not just a merger of institutions; it is a merger of aspirations. Together, we are stronger - 40,000 students, 15,900 employees, $467 million in research expenditures, a combined budget of $2.2 billion and an endowment of $1.1 billion. Also together, we have all the components of a university on par with the very best members of the Association of American Universities.

Guiding principles will shape our journey.
This important work will be grounded in a set of guiding principles to unleash innovation, amplify excellence, sustain strategic focus, cultivate continuous improvement and empower participation. These principles will ensure that we remain grounded in our shared values and focused on our goals, and they are elaborated further on the website.

Our Integration Steering Committee will guide the process.
The Integration Steering Committee (ISC) is a group of senior leaders at UTSA and UTHSA chartered with providing strategic direction, facilitating decision making and ensuring the effective execution of this ambitious plan. Membership on this committee will evolve. You can learn more about the current members of this committee here.

The process will unfold in phases. Our first focus will be Phase 1.
The full integration process will take three to five years and comprises three major phases. Our current and primary focus is Phase 1: Essential Planning & Accreditation Applications (e.g., SACSCOC), which will run from September 2024 through June 2025. Our first step is to submit the substantive change prospectus by March 2025 with the goal of receiving approval from the SACSCOC Board of Trustees to proceed with integration in June 2025.

Your input matters and we will continue to share updates frequently.
We know many of you are eager to learn more and contribute your ideas and talents toward this important work. We need you and want to hear from you. Please stay engaged by regularly visiting our new website to read the latest updates and share your feedback.

Lastly, we want to emphasize how grateful we are for your continued dedication. We are immensely excited about the road ahead but know we cannot do this without you. Please, keep doing what you're doing. Your work has greatly and profoundly contributed to the success of our institutions. Together, we will achieve even more.

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