(Prairie View)—The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on Dec. 1 voted to lease building space from the South San Antonio Independent School District (ISD) that will more than double classroom capacity and provide additional infrastructure needed for its Texas A&M University-Kingsville-System Center-San Antonio that will become Texas A&M University-San Antonio. The action took place at the Board’s regular meeting held on the campus of Prairie View A&M University.
As part of the lease agreement, the A&M System will provide 10 scholarships per semester to academically qualified students from the district to attend the A&M Center or Palo Alto College.
“This building lease is another important step we are taking toward strengthening the already-thriving center and working to establish it as a permanent A&M campus in South San Antonio,” said John White, chairman of the Board of Regents. “This is a project to which we are strongly committed, and this facility is absolutely ideal for ‘growing’ the campus. It will require only minimal modification for classrooms, provide more than 30,000 square feet in additional space, and is in a great location only two blocks away from classrooms and resources our students currently utilize on the Palo Alto College campus.”
In 2003, the Texas Legislature authorized the creation of Texas A&M University-San Antonio. Earlier this year, the Legislature authorized $40 million in tuition revenue bonds for development of the new campus, contingent on 1,500 full-time students before 2010.
“We are looking forward to opening a permanent campus for Texas A&M University-San Antonio,” said Michael D. McKinney, A&M System Chancellor. “We are working with city officials to identify the best location for a permanent campus in South San Antonio that will be well-situated to serve the population of this vibrant, growing city for many years to come.”
The lease facility, located at 1450 Gillette, is comprised of two buildings that previously were used as an elementary school. A one-story annex will immediately provide 14 additional classrooms for the spring 2007 semester. Plans call for the two-story main building to be updated during spring and summer 2007 to provide additional classrooms, administrative offices, a student computer lab, study areas and lounge by fall 2007. Together the two structures provide 51,000 in raw square footage.
“We are extremely excited about expanding into this facility, which will literally double our classroom space,” said Carolyn Green, who serves as interim dean and executive director of the center. “The facility will definitely help us accommodate our growing number of students and increase and expand our course offerings.”
Green also noted the new facility will enable the center’s staff and 66 full- and part-time faculty to provide more of a ‘learning community environment’ in which students can more easily study and interact with each other and experience a more traditional campus lifestyle, as well as expanded course offerings.
Plans are to first move several business courses into annex classrooms for spring 2007, with other course offerings to follow, including classes in elementary education, kinesiology, math, history, English and the social sciences.
Since 2000, courses at the A&M Center have been offered at the junior- and senior-levels toward degrees awarded by Texas A&M University-Kingsville, which manages the center. The current enrollment is the equivalent of 545 full-time students. Palo Alto College has provided classroom space for the center since its inception, and has offered to continue providing space as needed as well as library and other resources for center students and faculty.
Green said enrollment continues to pick up as word spreads about campus progress. “Students are really excited about the prospect of a four-year university on this side of town becoming a reality, particularly one that is part of the A&M System and its reputation for excellence,” Green said. “As the student population increases, we plan to hire additional faculty for our current courses as well as additional courses in biology, communications and marketing. Our long-term goal is, of course, to offer undergraduate degrees as well as master’s degrees in certain programs.”
The South San Antonio ISD is extending the A&M System a lease term of four years for the center, with an option to renew thereafter on a year-to-year basis, at rent of just $1 per year. The A&M System will assume maintenance, repair and utility charges incurred during the lease term, as well as one-time costs to retrofit restrooms so they are ADA compliant, create a parking lot for students and faculty, and provide shuttle bus service between Palo Alto College and the new facility.
The South San Antonio ISD Board of Trustees
finalized approval of the lease agreement December 13. 