Texas Border Business
By Melissa Vasquez
McALLEN, TEXAS – AUG. 10, 2015 – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and South Texas College on Monday signed the first Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions, signifying their mutual commitment to student success in South Texas and marking a historic partnership developed to yield positive results.
The MOU facilitates student success through a seamless transfer of courses and curricula and establishes a framework for students and their advisors to stay informed about how courses will transfer between the two public institutions.
In addition, the MOU is a promise that UTRGV and STC will work together to develop one-on-one articulation agreements for current and new programs.
“We have our eye on the big picture and we are in it for the long run. We know you are, too,” UTRGV founding President Guy Bailey said. “As we move forward together, we are going to do some great things for South Texas.”
Dr. Shirley Reed, STC founding president, said the MOU is an umbrella agreement between the two schools that demonstrates collaboration for the success of students and the community. Both will benefit from this agreement, and future ones, she said.
“Our students really want this safety net and security, and they keep asking us, ‘Are you sure I’m going to be able to transfer? Are you sure I’m taking the right courses?’ That uncertainty is not good for either institution, and much less so for our students. I hope that we can fast-track that commitment,” Reed said.
Bailey told the audience of UTRGV and STC administrators and staff that the new university, set to open Aug. 31, over the next decade expects to add a considerable number of programs at the graduate and professional levels, and a wide range of health science programs in conjunction with the UTRGV School of Medicine, which currently is undergoing accreditation. The STC partnership is crucial to keeping the programs well stocked with South Texas students, who no longer will have to travel outside of the Rio Grande Valley for their studies, he said.
“Ten years from now, we will have close to 40,000 students, and you (STC) will, too. Think about that – 80,000 students in the Rio Grande Valley with access to educational opportunities. Think about that as transforming the whole area. We are delighted to be part of that with you,” he said.
For more information on UTRGV, visit the website at www.utrgv.edu, like its Facebook page, or follow @utrgv on Twitter.
