Photo: insjoy / iStock / Getty Images
The University of Texas San Antonio and UT-Health are merging into a single institution next year. The UT System Board of Regents announced the merger plans during Thursday morning's executive session. Board Chairman Kevin Eltife says the new partnership will improves both institutions.
The board unanimously elected UTSA President Taylor Eighmy to be in charge of the new entity, which will have about four-thousand faculty, nearly 16,000 staff, almost 40,000 students, and 1,400 healthcare providers.
"Great cities and great universities make each other better. It is time to marshal the talent, size and scale of UTSA and UTHSA to multiply their roles as global leaders in education, healthcare, and innovation,” Eltife said. "By bringing together all of their complementary and unique strengths, we will give Texans access to the best education, discoveries and health care imaginable, while accelerating the university’s trajectory as a top U.S. and global university.”
Key to Eltife’s and the regents’ plan was the decision to fully leverage the individual contributions of UT Health San Antonio and UTSA – both of which have been instrumental in propelling San Antonio as a leader in healthcare, biosciences, national security, and data science – to create a powerful, singular entity that surpasses the sum of its parts. UT Health San Antonio, the largest academic health research institution in South Texas, ranks in the top 3% globally for NIH funding. UTSA, a top tier (Carnegie R1) research institution, educates 35,000 students across seven colleges and interdisciplinary schools. This merger will enhance the potential of both institutions, transforming San Antonio and South Texas into a global hub of academic and research excellence.
According to the United States Census Bureau’s most recent data, San Antonio, the nation’s seventh-largest city and second largest in Texas, added nearly 22,000 new residents between July 2022 and July 2023 – more than any other city in America. As a critical gateway to South Texas, which is home to 5.5 million people and projected to grow to 6.1 million by 2040, San Antonio's global influence continues to expand, and the UT System is committed to a world-class university that embodies the region’s rich history, vibrant culture and opportunity.
James C. “Rad” Weaver of San Antonio, Vice Chairman of the Board of Regents, hailed the action as one of the most important transformational steps the two UT institutions will take together for the long-term benefit of the city and state.
“I’ve witnessed the successes of UTSA and UTHSA over many years, and this merger is the catalyst that will supercharge our region as a national leader in learning, innovation, health, and economic vigor,” Weaver said. “I’m very pleased that Taylor Eighmy, who has led UTSA so admirably for the past seven years, will ultimately lead the university.”
The regents, chancellor and leadership of UTSA and UTHSA have expressed an enthusiastic and shared commitment to ensuring a smooth transition. Eighmy and Hromas will tap the expertise of faculty, researchers, and administrators who will serve on transition teams and working groups to ensure accreditation and other approvals, as well as streamlined, timely, strategic processes to operationalize the university.
“The impact of a unified presence is undeniable, and Texas will benefit immensely from this integration, which among many benefits, will enable greater public impact and enhanced global competitiveness,” Milliken said. “This initiative is about expanding and growing to align with the needs of the region and state, and to maximize the potential of two UT institutions that exist only miles apart.”
The combined institution would become the third-largest research university in Texas, with annual research expenditures nearing $470 million to go with six federally funded research and development centers. This powerhouse will be poised to achieve new heights in securing research funding, forging visionary industry and government partnerships, attracting transformative philanthropic investments, and pioneering groundbreaking innovations. It will also consistently draw top-tier faculty, staff, students, researchers and healthcare professionals from around the world.