UNT Hires Engineering Dean

[UNTLifer]

New UNT dean has skill for start-ups

First head of engineering college founded program at Old Dominion in 1960s

02/08/2003

By Matthew Zabel / Staff Writer

The University of North Texas’ newest college has its first dean.

Dr. Oscar Garcia, who for more than eight years has led Wright State University’s department of science and engineering in Dayton, Ohio, will begin July 1 as dean of UNT’s College of Engineering, university officials announced Friday.

Dr. Oscar Garcia

"The founding dean — yes, that’s exciting," said Dr. Garcia, 65, in a telephone interview.

Dr. Norval Pohl, UNT’s president, said Dr. Garcia’s experience and enthusiasm make him "exactly the right person for this job."

And his experience includes helping to start an engineering college at Old Dominion University in the 1960s.

"He’s been there and done that," Dr. Pohl said. "That [starting a new college] was probably the major attraction for him. He had a great position at Wright State, and outside of the challenging of starting something new, I don’t think we could have pried him away from there."

UNT’s Board of Regents voted to create the college in February 2002, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board gave its approval in April.

UNT has transferred three existing departments — engineering technology, materials science and computer science — from the College of Arts and Science into the College of Engineering.

UNT plans to begin offering bachelor’s and master’s programs in electrical engineering in 2004 and in mechanical engineering in 2006.

The university plans to renovate part of its 553,000-square-foot building at the UNT Research Park in north Denton to be the home of the new college.

Before joining the faculty at Wright State, Dr. Garcia directed some engineering programs for the National Science Foundation. He has also taught engineering at the George Washington University, the University of Maryland, the University of South Florida and Old Dominion University.

At UNT, Dr. Garcia will earn an annual salary of $189,500.

Dr. Garcia said the rapid growth of the Dallas-Fort Worth area makes the region ripe for an engineering college, and one of his first objectives will be to build relationships with the area’s engineering companies.

"One of the first things I want to do is to interact with the industry in the North Texas area to find out what their needs are and how we can help the economic development and what are promising areas to put our efforts," Dr. Garcia said.

Both Dr. Pohl and Dr. Garcia acknowledged the state’s tough economic situation adds one more challenge to getting the college going, but both remain optimistic.

"The budget cuts we’re faced with now won’t have much impact on our plans for engineering," Dr. Pohl said. "Starting Sept. 1, if the budget situation doesn’t change, it will affect how much we can add faculty, but a lot could change before then. I’m remaining optimistic. We’ll be moving forward for sure."

Dr. Garcia praised state officials for allowing UNT to move forward with its engineering college and for investing in engineering despite tough economic times.

"I feel like the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board realizes that while economic times are difficult, you cannot stop," Dr. Garcia said. "You have to continue to provide opportunities to people who are in traditional jobs and who want to upgrade themselves."

[NT80]

UNT has needed an Engineering School for a long time. Now if we can just get a Law School too we may have some future alums with some $$ to give back.