cameron county/matamoros - blue - The University of Texas at ...

UTB-CBIRD Report: “At The Crossroads” Education & Training 77
o Life Sciences – establish centers of research and education excellence
that focus on border healthcare needs 1
⇒ Recruit, develop, and retain critical core faculty in areas of emerging areas of
regional strength in technology-based businesses, entrepreneurship, and
international business.
o Increase budget support for faculty research activities in the form of
sabbaticals, reassigned time, and travel funds.
o Work to increase external grants to support research and graduate
students.
⇒ Establish quality PhD programs linked to regional industry clusters.
⇒ Strengthen international programs with other multi- and inter-disciplinary
centers throughout the world.
⇒ Establish a Visiting Scholars Program in critical border research areas.
UTB/TSC: At the Crossroads
The Legislative Budget Board’s (LBB) 1998 document entitled Economic Returns
from Higher Education in Texas, states, “Investing in institutions identified as
having service areas that are currently under-served and with high
unemployment, low average educational attainment, below average incomes,
and have growing student enrollments of more than 50% Black and/or Hispanic
students appears an effective and efficient method to generate the greatest
economic return.”
The UTB/TSC service area fits the LBB’s description. As Texas funds emerging
institutions such as UTB/TSC the entire state moves closer to closing the gaps
for students who are most in need of the benefits of education and professional
and career development.
A UTB-CBIRD PROJECT: THE FALFURRIAS DIALOGUE
CLOSING THE GAP: THE REGIONAL CHALLENGE
On June 19, 2002, Ms. Irma Rangel, Texas State Representative District 35
and Chair of the House Higher Education Committee, invited the CEO’s of
South Texas regional colleges and universities to participate in a dialogue in
the South Texas city of Falfurrias on August 21, 2002. Ms. Rangel’s goal
was to elicit feedback and input from the region’s post-secondary
educational leadership on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s
Educational Plan, “Closing the Gaps.” Ms. Rangel requested that the staff of
UTB’s Cross Border Institute for Regional Development (UTB-CBIRD) assist in
the development and facilitation of the one day dialogue.
Dr. Baltazar Acevedo,
Executive Director
UTB-CBIRD, Summer 2002
1 See Section 5 for a more complete review of these industries in the Cameron County/Matamoros
region.
One Region -- One Future
UTB-CBIRD can be one of
the catalysts to provide
the most essential
ingredient to regional
economic development:
the consolidation and
articulation of a regional
vision.