May be old news

emmitt01 · October 13, 2005

Dear Emmitt:

Today marks a milestone in the history of the UNT System. You've probably

heard the news stories, but I personally wanted to be sure you knew about

this important event at our emerging University of North Texas at Dallas, a

brand new university that will become the first public university in the

City of Dallas.

We are breaking ground for the first building on the 264-acre Houston

School Road site, south of Camp Wisdom Road and north of Interstate 20.

This location is ideal for serving students from Dallas south to Austin.

I hope you will look for us in the local newscasts Thursday. To read more

about the event, visit web2.unt.edu/news/story.cfm?story=9370. To learn

more about the award-winning Master Plan ( http://www.unt.edu/unt-

dallas/plan/ )for developing the future UNT at Dallas, visit

www.inhouse.unt.edu/index.cfm?commentID=91.

And because you are such a valuable member of our community, I don't want

you to forget to participate in The North Texan survey (see link below) ,

which is currently under way to gather feedback on our quarterly alumni

magazine. The deadline to submit your opinions is Monday (Oct. 31). To read

The North Texan online, visit

www.unt.edu/northtexan

MeanGreen61 · October 14, 2005

From the NT Daily

NT–Dallas breaks new ground

Officials get down and dirty during opening ceremony

Pamela Bond

Staff Writer

October 14, 2005

Texas and NT dignitaries gathered Thursday for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the first building of the NT–Dallas campus. But what was supposed to be just ceremonial groundbreaking became literal, when politicians and NT officials actually had to shovel the dirt on the site.

A pile of dirt and sand was supposed to collapse with a detonator to reveal a sign proclaiming “UNT Dallas.” But when technical difficulties prevented this, dignitaries immediately accepted new, gleaming shovels and started doing the dirty work themselves.

“Well, I said it’d be different,” Chancellor Lee Jackson said. “Normally, the groundbreaking is just for ceremony.”

Except for the absence of Gov. Rick Perry, who was in Kingsville at a friend’s funeral, the rest of the celebration went smoothly. It was held on the land site in a tent with blue and yellow decorations, which represented NT–Dallas’ school colors for the time being.

Jackson opened the ceremony with a welcome and an introduction.

“Today, we will mark the success of this project and plant the seed of the first permanent building of what will someday be a major campus, transforming lives, providing employment and with all intent of supporting the communities around us in their own goals and improving their growth,” Jackson said.

Regent Gayle Strange spoke after an invocation from Ramon Alvarez, reverend of Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe.

“NT promises to build a full, comprehensive university, the first in the city of Dallas, just as soon as possible,” Strange said. “Today we are taking a giant step to making that vision a reality.”

The new campus will be a branch of NT (named NT at Dallas, similar to UT at Arlington). It will be completely independent and separate from the current system center at Dallas.

“We want this location, this area, to be really a signature piece to the entire country, about how states and cities and communities surrounding it can work together to create something that is truly unique in an urban educational setting,” said Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill.

The new center is located off a growing area of Loop-12, on Houston School Road in southern Dallas.

“With the opening of NT–Dallas, local residents are able to invest in their education without leaving their neighborhoods,” said Patricia De La Rosa, Cedar Hills graduate student.

Due to the Dallas campus’ location, many of the legislators hope the public university will provide new opportunities for the Dallas area.

“We want the students who come here not only to be successful in their careers, but to give back to the state and community,” said Raymund A. Paredes, commissioner of higher education of Texas.

NT officials expressed similar hopes.

“We look forward to moving to this location, a permanent land site, for the future NT at Dallas and the soon-to-be constructed, state-of-the-art facility, which has already won an award for excellence in architecture,” said John Price, vice provost for the NT–Dallas campus.

Sasaki Associates and the Aguirre Corporation designed the first building, which wass unveiled at the end of the program. The building’s construction, managed by Hunt, began June 2005. Wednesday’s groundbreaking was only for ceremonial purposes. So far, a concrete base has been laid on the 264-acre lot.

“We are building the building so that education might take place and our future might be preserved,” said state Rep. Jesse Jones (D), of the 110th District.

The current NT–Dallas campus has 1,450 students (a 21 percent increase from last year) and 564 full-time students (a 33 percent increase from last year). When enrollment equals 1,000 full-time students (projected for 2007), the NT system is authorized to open the NT at Dallas campus, which will be the first public university within the Dallas city limits.

“Once we get those enrollment numbers in fall 2007, we must have stability in order to have credibility as an academic institution,” said state Sen. Royce West (D) of District 23.

SilverEagle · October 14, 2005

Maybe Jackson will spend all his future micro-managing-time with this project.

NT80 · October 14, 2005

It was held on the land site in a tent with blue and yellow decorations, which represented NT–Dallas’ school colors for the time being.
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I heard from another news story that students there would soon elect official school colors and a mascot for their "sports teams".

I was hesitant at first to support this new campus thinking it would just be a branch campus and take away staff and resources meant for the Denton campus. But it looks like they plan a stand-alone school and this will help ensure the future of the UNT System instead of getting swallowed someday into the UT or A$M System.

Perhaps later we can add a NT-Wichita Falls (Midwestern St.) and merge TWU into the Denton main campus to create a true giant main campus and unite Denton for once?

emmitt01 · October 14, 2005

Maybe Jackson will spend all his future micro-managing-time with this project.
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I was hoping to take up a collection to buy him a house there. Maybe he could be like some of our fans and declare the drive to Denton to be "too far", thus leaving us all alone.

Cerebus · October 14, 2005

I heard from another news story that students there would soon elect official school colors and a mascot for their "sports teams".
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They won't be considered a seperate "school" until they hit 1000 full time students.

I would imagine that is <5 years off, but close to 2010 than 2007.

NAIA basketball would probably be the first, easiest thing to setup.

untbowler · October 14, 2005

They won't be considered a seperate "school" until they hit 1000 full time students.
I would imagine that is <5 years off, but close to 2010 than 2007.
NAIA basketball would probably be the first, easiest thing to setup.
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Wonder if they would take the UT-Dallas route and go Div III, they would alredy have a natural conference and rival to start with.

Eagle1855 · October 14, 2005

I was hoping to take up a collection to buy him a house there. Maybe he could be like some of our fans and declare the drive to Denton to be "too far", thus leaving us all alone.
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I like that idea