Texas Border Business
McAllen, Texas – Welcoming new faces and looking to streamline the transfer process for tens of thousands of students, South Texas College and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley held a collaborative leadership meeting for the first time in three years on Jan. 11.
The leadership meeting was organized and led by vice presidents for academic affairs for STC and UTRGV, who brought together the leadership teams of both institutions with a specific goal of focusing the attention on the student transfer process between the two institutions.
STC President Dr. Shirley A. Reed and UTRGV President Dr. Guy Bailey offered welcoming remarks at the meeting. STC interim Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Anahid Petrosian and UTRGV Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Patricia McHatton then gave an overview of each institution’s organizational structures.
A priority of the meeting was making administrators aware of any changes in the leadership teams between the two institutions. Attendees then entered into guided group discussions regarding “synergistic opportunities”, examining successful existing systems between the two institutions, and discussing future opportunities to collaborate.
Among the most pressing issues, according to administrators, is ensuring that barriers for students transferring between the institutions are addressed to make the process as seamless as possible.
“As two higher education institutions in this service area, we serve over 50,000 students and it’s really up to us as a leadership team to come together and make sure that we address any type of issues or remove barriers for students because they are the same students,” Dr. Petrosian said. “It is essential for us to be working as a very close-knit leadership team to address issues that our students face. One of the most important objectives our two institutions can do is work together to make the transfer process as seamless as possible.”
UTRGV is the top transfer choice for former STC students. As of fall 2017, more than 75 percent of transfer students seeking to continue their education opted to attend the university, according to the college.
“The convening of UTRGV and STC leadership was focused on furthering our existing partnership,” said UTRGV VP McHatton. “Our collaboration is essential given both our institutions’ dedication in ensuring student success. Part of that collaboration is making sure that we have a seamless and transparent articulation process. The strength of our partnerships is based on a reciprocal relationship that values and builds upon each of our strengths. Our success is based on the success of our students.”
Coordinators of the leadership meeting between the two institutions want to make the meeting an annual or biannual event. Routinely conducting the event will ensure that administrators keep up with changes in leadership.
