Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,
Since the UT System Board of Regents’ recent announcement to integrate UTSA and UT Health San Antonio, we now begin our bold path forward to create a world-class university serving our community, state, nation and beyond. We are committed to transparency and collaboration to ensure your voices are incorporated throughout this journey.
Today, we’re pleased to share an integration process planning update that includes a new joint website to serve as a centralized hub of information about the integration. This site 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 will be stronger — 40,000 students, 15,900 faculty and staff, $467 million in research expenditures, a $2.2 billion operating budget and an endowment of $1.1 billion. Together, this positions us on the path to becoming a premier institution with the characteristics of the very best members of the Association of American Universities.
Guiding principles will shape our journey.
This important work is 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, which are elaborated further on the website.
Our Integration Steering Committee will guide the process.
The Integration Steering Committee (ISC), composed of senior leadership from both institutions, will provide the strategic direction needed to ensure the effective execution of this ambitious plan. As the work progresses, this committee will adapt to meet evolving needs and add members throughout the process. The ISC will oversee task forces over general areas, and the task forces will engage many working groups focused on very specific areas of the integration. Most are yet to begin and will be launched as the integration progresses over time. You can learn more about the current members of the ISC on the website.
The process will unfold in phases. We’re beginning 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 and 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. At UT Health San Antonio, there are multiple school-specific accreditation notifications and requirements to be met, and we will work with the accreditation experts from each of the schools to assess and comply. The Accreditation Task Force, co-led by Jacqueline Mok, is starting now to organize these efforts with direction from our school-specific accreditation experts.
More specific information on task forces and working groups will be kept up to date on the integration website.
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. You may also continue to provide feedback at integration@uthscsa.edu. We encourage you to connect with your campus leaders as the process evolves as there will be many opportunities for input to specific working groups as they are constituted.
Please plan to join us at a special leadership forum — One Vision, One Future — where we will discuss more about the integration plan. The event will be held Thursday, Sept. 26, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Holly Auditorium. You received an email invitation yesterday.
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 — your voices, talents and unique contributions are key to our progress. Please continue the great work you’re doing. Your effort has greatly and profoundly contributed to the success of our institutions. Together, we will achieve even more.
With appreciation,
| Taylor Eighmy, PhD | Robert Hromas, MD, FACP |
| President | Acting President |
| UTSA | UT Health San Antonio |