On Monday, Jan. 22, UTSA held a State of the University address hosted by President Taylor Eighmy. The event covered UTSA’s Be Bold campaign, a strategic plan refresh and a conversation with invited panelists.
The first concept mentioned was how Eighmy’s vision for the 10-year strategic plan refresh has been updated throughout his presidency at UTSA. During his fifth year of the refresh, Eighmy must present a new business program for the board of regents to present all the resources needed for the university.
Eighmy then mentioned how UTSA differs from other institutions in relation to students and resources.
“We’re also a little bit different from some of the other institutions because of the way we do budgeting, managing budgets and projecting budgets because of our incentives [and] resources,” Eighmy said.
The 2018-2023 timeline was a highlighted topic during the address, as it mentioned how the pandemic halted elements of the refresh and how these elements need to be altered to continue the plan accordingly.
New task forces were implemented as part of the strategic refresh for UTSA to be more prepared for future processes. These task forces focused specifically on hybrid learning, remote work and workforce development.
The main outcomes discussed were a strategic enrollment plan, an increase in faculty headcount and expanded research output.
Eighmy noted that UTSA is in a good position for growth within the enrollment plan, saying, “By 2028, we’re going to be at about 41,000 students and it drives formula funding and tuitions and fees.”
New funding from the state and UT system allows for regional professors’ programs focused on strategic hires. This plan is to drive growth within federal research expenditures and UTSA’s knowledge enterprise.
UTSA is now reserving funding from the Texas National Research Support Fund. This funding is only “performance-based and is driven by federal research expenditures and Ph.D. graduations.”
“We have a lot of plans to grow federal, grow total and to take investments that come from revenue generation to drive faculty growth and grow investments,” Eighmy explained.
The ten-year strategic destinations involve three elements: a model for student success, a great public research university and an innovative place to work, learn and discover.
“What’s special about the third destination was modified because of the input we got from our town halls with all of you and with our discussions at cabinets and the University Leadership Council. This focus on the third destination is now pivoted to become an innovative place to work, learn and discover,” Eighmy said.
Due to recent legislative changes, the National Research University was abolished, but there is a new fund called the National Research Support Fund. UTSA is now “formulaically tired of our federal research expenditures and Ph.D. production.” This means UTSA will have access to 16 million dollars a year to grow the research enterprise.
UTSA’s Be Bold campaign has raised over 387 million dollars, which is 78% of UTSA’s goal, in the first five years of the campaign. Eighmy noted that there are still four and a half years to raise the remaining $113 million dollars.
The Be Bold campaign will provide funding for all campuses and schools within the colleges. Funding will also go to career readiness for Roadrunners, meaning graduates can have more resources needed to go into the workforce prepared.
Enrollment management has pushed for students’ success by lowering the time it takes UTSA students to graduate. “10 years ago, it took 5.3 years to [now] 4.4 years. That is unheralded in public higher education.”
