Rio Grande Guardian
Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp says he is undeterred by objections from the University of Texas System to plans for an A&M school of engineering in the Rio Grande Valley.
Late last month, Sharp visited the Valley to watch Texas A&M University-Kingsville President Steven H. Tallant make an announcement about plans for an engineering program in Weslaco.
The same day, Pedro Reyes, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at the UT System, sent a letter to Tallant urging him to reconsider his Valley plan and requesting an in-person meeting as soon as possible. Reyes said the plan laid out by TAMUK would duplicate engineering programs already offered by nearby institutions and that are planned for UT-Rio Grande Valley. Reyes said he was writing on behalf of UT-Rio Grande Valley, UT-Pan American and UT-Brownsville. Click here to read Reyes’ letter to Tallant.
In an email to the Guardian, Sharp was dismissive of the UT System intervention.
“Whoever wrote that letter from the University of Texas thinks a lot more about their university than they do the children of the Valley. It is time that bureaucrats and agencies started meeting the needs of Texas families instead of their own bureaucratic self-interests,” Sharp wrote.
“We intend to provide first class engineering education in the Valley, the likes of which have never been seen there and we will fight any obstacle in our way with vigor. We believe the leaders of the Valley stand with us as witnessed (that) Friday.”
Sharp was referring to an appearance at the TAMUK announcement by elected officials such as U.S. Reps. Rubén Hinojosa and Filemon Vela, state Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., and state Rep. Armando “Mando’ Martinez. The announcement about the engineering school was made during a luncheon TAMUK hosted at its Citrus Center in Weslaco.
Hinojosa told the Guardian that while he is a proud UT alum, he fully backs TAMUK’s plans to provide additional education opportunities for would-be engineers.
“I think it (the plan by TAMUK) is the right thing to do. A region like ours, with one and a half million people, soon to be two million… why not have two flagship universities so that students can have choices? We can double the number of engineering graduates,” Hinojosa said.
Hinojosa’s top agenda item during his many years in public service has been education. He was a member of the State Board of Education in Texas for ten years and founding chairman of the board of trustees at South Texas College. He has highlighted the need for more Hispanic engineers and scientists through the introduction of HESTEC Week at UTPA. In 1998 he amended the Higher Education Act to pump more funding into Hispanic serving higher education institutions. Its funding has since risen from $12 million to more than $220 million.
Late last month, Sharp visited the Valley to watch Texas A&M University-Kingsville President Steven H. Tallant make an announcement about plans for an engineering program in Weslaco.
The same day, Pedro Reyes, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at the UT System, sent a letter to Tallant urging him to reconsider his Valley plan and requesting an in-person meeting as soon as possible. Reyes said the plan laid out by TAMUK would duplicate engineering programs already offered by nearby institutions and that are planned for UT-Rio Grande Valley. Reyes said he was writing on behalf of UT-Rio Grande Valley, UT-Pan American and UT-Brownsville. Click here to read Reyes’ letter to Tallant.
In an email to the Guardian, Sharp was dismissive of the UT System intervention.
“Whoever wrote that letter from the University of Texas thinks a lot more about their university than they do the children of the Valley. It is time that bureaucrats and agencies started meeting the needs of Texas families instead of their own bureaucratic self-interests,” Sharp wrote.
“We intend to provide first class engineering education in the Valley, the likes of which have never been seen there and we will fight any obstacle in our way with vigor. We believe the leaders of the Valley stand with us as witnessed (that) Friday.”
Sharp was referring to an appearance at the TAMUK announcement by elected officials such as U.S. Reps. Rubén Hinojosa and Filemon Vela, state Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., and state Rep. Armando “Mando’ Martinez. The announcement about the engineering school was made during a luncheon TAMUK hosted at its Citrus Center in Weslaco.
Hinojosa told the Guardian that while he is a proud UT alum, he fully backs TAMUK’s plans to provide additional education opportunities for would-be engineers.
“I think it (the plan by TAMUK) is the right thing to do. A region like ours, with one and a half million people, soon to be two million… why not have two flagship universities so that students can have choices? We can double the number of engineering graduates,” Hinojosa said.
Hinojosa’s top agenda item during his many years in public service has been education. He was a member of the State Board of Education in Texas for ten years and founding chairman of the board of trustees at South Texas College. He has highlighted the need for more Hispanic engineers and scientists through the introduction of HESTEC Week at UTPA. In 1998 he amended the Higher Education Act to pump more funding into Hispanic serving higher education institutions. Its funding has since risen from $12 million to more than $220 million.
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1 comment:
GIG' EM AGGIES. !!!
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