Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Dr. Romo delivers university address

Romo

Courtesy Photo

“Everything we do must be about our students,” began Ricardo Romo in his address.

On Sept. 24 at 3:00 p.m. President Romo delivered his annual State of the University Address. The speech was meant to highlight what UTSA has achieved in the past year and to introduce plans for the future. Provost John Frederick and Student Government Association (SGA) President Zack Dunn introduced the address.

“Last year we graduated more than 5,800 students, the largest class ever,” claimed Romo as one of the most prominent achievements of UTSA.

Romo also said that, in the year to come, the university will be saving more than a million dollars by consolidating cyber security functions in an on-campus building. “We’ll be bringing all these functions into one building.”

San Saba Hall has also been a major stride made at UTSA, adding more than 6,000 bed spaces and facilitating a more active college environment.

In the past, San Antonio has been written off as a city subjected to ‘brain drain’ in which a talented and educated workforce leaves to pursue opportunity in other cities and states. Romo presented a challenge to this assumption by claiming that, in a study sponsored by Rackspace Hosting, “San Antonio is a destination for college educated young people seeking jobs,” even rivaling Austin in the number of young professionals it attracts.

Romo went on to recognize that UTSA’s Capitol Campaign Fund has reached its goal of raising $120 million before 2015 and will continue to seek $55 million more in the next two years.

Other changes that students can look forward to include a restructuring of the advising system. Rather than being grouped by college, students will be clustered with advisors by major. With this overhaul, Romo and UTSA estimates that 80 percent of students will stay with the same advisor throughout their college career, even accounting for change of major.

President Romo concluded his speech by saying that UTSA’s efforts to become a Tier One university are being recognized.

“Our students deserve the best because, in my opinion, they are the best.”

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