Lawmaker proposes taking the UT out of UTA

UNTFan23 · March 13, 2003

My question is, why not add on to The University of North Texas System? In all honesty, I'm not surprised in UTAs move. They're not happy, and the Chencellor has recently put more emphasis on UTD, which is a younger and smaller campus.

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By John Moritz

Star-Telegram Austin bureau

AUSTIN -- The University of Texas at Arlington would end its 38-year membership in the University of Texas System and would become an independent entity under legislation filed Wednesday by an Arlington lawmaker.

State Rep. Toby Goodman, R-Arlington, said he and several other Tarrant-area lawmakers are dissatisfied with the UT system's plan to promote the University of Texas at Dallas to "flagship" status, which they say would siphon money and prestige from the 108-year-old Arlington campus.

"Certainly, I want the UT system to be aware that we are proud of our university," said Goodman, who has 11 Tarrant-area co-sponsors for his bill. "It's the fastest-growing university in the system. We have done very, very well with our university....To say that we are second tier offends us."

UT system Chancellor Mark Yudof has set UT-Dallas on a track to become a nationally ranked research campus. But in meetings two weeks ago with community leaders, the chancellor sought to give assurances that he had no plans to relegate UTA to the back burner.

"We're not dismantling Arlington," Yudof told Arlington leaders on Feb. 28. "That's just flat-out untrue. The long-term projection is Arlington would be a major research university, there's no doubt about that."

Yudof said in the next 10 years he expects UTA to be doing more than $100 million worth of research. He also noted that the UT system regents recently approved a new $39.9 million chemistry and physics building for the Arlington campus.

But Goodman, along with state Sens. Chris Harris, R-Arlington, and Kim Brimer, R-Fort Worth, contend that UTA, which has an enrollment of almost 24,000 students, is already well on its way to becoming a top research center. They called the university's Nanotechnology Research and Training Facility the crown jewel of the campus' scientific research.

"UTA is years and years ahead of their research capacity at UT-Dallas," Goodman said.

During a meeting of the UTA faculty senate on Wednesday, several professors expressed the hope that the lawmakers' displeasure with the system can be assuaged.

"It's incredibly encouraging that the community has realized that we're here and we're an asset,"said Dan Formanowciz, a biology professor. "If it's being done to get the attention of people down there that's terrific."

English professor Emory Estes Jr. said he would not want to see UTA join the Texas A&M System because A&M was not hospitable to UTA when it was part of that system from 1917 to 1965.

"They didn't care about us," he said.

In executive session, Faculty Senate Chairman Thomas Chrzanowski said he will email senators about a possible special meeting to consider a resolution on the system issue, according to Formanowciz.

Under House Bill 2393 by Goodman, and under a Senate version that Brimer said he plans to introduce Thursday or Friday, UTA would be severed from the UT system and would operate under its own board of regents. However, the UT system would remain responsible for paying off all debt the Arlington campus has incurred during its time with the UT system.

Both Goodman and Brimer said they would consider amending their bills to allow one of the other state university systems to annex UTA. Several Tarrant lawmakers have met with representatives of the A&M system, the Texas Tech University System and the University of Houston System.

UTA's President Robert Witt left on March 1 to become president of the University of Alabama. Charles Sorber, UT vice chancellor for special engineering programs, will be interim president until a new president is named.

Teresa Sullivan, the UT system executive vice chancellor of academic affairs and chair of the search committee for a new president of UTA, said switching systems would complicate the search.

"It makes it really hard for a candidate to agree to be considered under those circumstances," Sullivan said. "I personally hope it won't happen."

Goodman acknowledged that the UT system has powerful allies around the state and that any effort to sever the Arlington campus would require an all-out battle. And he kept open the possibility that the UT system might keep the school when all is said and done.

"We just want to be assured that if we stay in the system that our university is treated fairly," he said. "The game is afoot, as Sherlock Holmes would say,"

Staff writer Patrick McGee contributed to this report.

PlummMeanGreen · March 13, 2003

According to one of our posters who has been around the Mean Green Scene for over 50 years, UTA has an engineering school only because North Texas (ab-NORMAL-ly) turned an engineering school down when legislators in Austin asked us if we wanted one. (The J.C. Matthews curse at work again and I have heard that story from others thru the years, also).

UTA was also not too happy when UNT-Dallas came on the scene; but I am not so sure NTSU was all that happy when UT-Dallas (Richardson) was added in our backyard as well and many years earlier.

This new UT Chancellor Mark Yudof (a non Texan) concerns me with his (seemed) "step on who you need to step on" most aggressive tactics that I'm afraid will (ultimately) not benefit UNT-Denton in the long run, IMHO. They also seem to not be benefitting UTA according to the report.

UTA has been even making noise about joining the TAMU System, Texas Tech System or the UH System (UH-Arlington? How weird). Strangely, the UNT System was never mentioned by UTA officials, but I'm sure the creation of UNT-Dallas probably had much to do with that as that might on a smaller scale put them in the same scenario they are presently in now.

Ibleedgreen · March 13, 2003

Why not UNT-Arlington? Sounds like a quick way to upgrade our engineering program, and pick up an architecture school, to boot.

UNTX · March 14, 2003

Unfortunately, UTA would never consider joining the UNT System. I've always felt the UTA administration has had very little respect for UNT. Remember the whole fracas over that proposed bill a couple of years ago proposed by a state representative (Garcia?) that wanted to merge UTA and UT-Southwestern into the UNT System, with UNT as the flagship?

UTA's then president Dr. Robert Witt was interviewed on the prospect in a DMN article and basically threw a fit and dissed UNT, blatantly extolling UTA's academic superiority. His vitriolic comments pissed me off considering that the bill was obviously hopeless from the beginning and was only intended to draw some attention to UNT and the need for consolidation in general.

Another issue is that UTA seems to be upset regarding the UT System's lack of emphasis on THEIR goals of becoming a national research university. UTA already does FAR more research than NT, and gets millions more than NT in external research funds. I don't remember specific numbers, and they would be a little dated even if I did. But when I was working at the school, the fact that UTA and UTD pulled in significant more dollars for research over NT was a major embarassment and sore spot with our administration, and they were studying strategies to catch up. Hopefully the addition of engineering at NT will go a long way towards accomplishing that.

I doubt UTA will go anywhere. The state is moving toward consolidation in terms of the structure of our public institutions of higher education. They are not going to allow another independently governed school, as it would only lead to additional inefficiencies and duplication that the state is trying to rid itself of. The UT System is the richest and best managed with access to 2/3 of the Permanent University Fund, compared to A&M's 1/3 and Tech's zero share. Houston? Please.

They'll make noise, settle down and nothing will change.

PlummMeanGreen · March 14, 2003

UTA's then president Dr. Robert Witt was interviewed on the prospect in a DMN article and basically threw a fit and dissed UNT, blatantly extolling UTA's academic superiority.

UTA's superiority over UNT is a new concept to these ears. I guess I would just need to see some stats on UTA's academic "superiority" with comparative programs. Do such statistics exist?

Of course, they do have us beat in architecture (UNT has no architectural school).

In light of former UTA President Witt's comments about UNT, would it be that those of us from the Mean Green Nation might now want to call him, uh, dim-Witt?

The AFLAC Duck · March 14, 2003

if they're academics are so damn "superior", they'd just split off and become independent.

UNTLifer · March 14, 2003

It looks to me, strictly just an outsider's view, that UTA is headed for the crapper.

PlummMeanGreen · March 14, 2003

I believe UNT will build a domed football stadium before UTA drops from the UT System. They are just (wisely) positioning themselves to get more of the Permanent University Fund monies it appears; also, to make sure UT-Dallas doesn't get all the "chicken salad" (so to speak).

I am more curious how UNT is faring in the Texas legislature these days, though, anyone heard anything on that?

Still trying to figure out who and what put this state in a $10 billion deficit in the first place?

Baby Arm! · March 16, 2003

The biggest contributer to the current budget shortfall was the economy turning sour and ther resulting decrease in sales tax revenue. Its affecting all gov't entities that draw funds from sales tax. So the best way to end this deficit is for all of us to go out and spend some money!

So don't look for a scapegoat on the budget crisis.... "The fault dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings."

PlummMeanGreen · March 19, 2003

There has even been talk in the Fort Worth Star Telegram of the UH System as a possible hook-up for UTA if they left the UT System.

Funny thing is they have a robotics center in one bldg in east Fort Worth that they call UT-Arlington at Fort Worth.

BUT......could you only imagine if they were in the UH System what they'd call that campus? How about, uh, the University of Houston at Arlington at Fort Worth!

Better stick with the UT System, Movin Mav's folks!