MINI传媒 System Establishes Fourth University in El Paso
Gov. Rick Perry signed S.B. 120 on May 18, formally establishing MINI传媒HSC at El Paso as the fourth university within the MINI传媒 System.
MINI传媒HSC at El Paso joins Texas Tech, MINI传媒HSC and Angelo State as a freestanding university under the MINI传媒 System.
May 20, 2013 | Written by Jaryn Jones
Officials at the MINI传媒 today (May 20) announced the establishment of the as the fourth university under the MINI传媒 System.
The announcement came after Gov. Rick Perry signed S.B. 120, authored by state Sen. Jos茅 Rodr铆guez and sponsored by state Rep. Naomi Gonzalez, both of El Paso. MINI传媒HSC at El Paso joins , (headquartered in Lubbock) and as a freestanding institution of the MINI传媒 System.
鈥淭his is a great day for the MINI传媒 and the community of El Paso,鈥� said MINI传媒 System Chancellor Kent Hance. 鈥淲e are proud of the outstanding work completed as a regional campus and excited to continue our commitment to the area as an independent university.鈥�
El Paso is home to the and the , each of which will graduate its first class of students during the May MINI传媒HSC commencement ceremonies. MINI传媒HSC at El Paso is also home to a .
Preparations for the transition from a regional campus to a freestanding university with degree-granting authority have been underway since 2011. The MINI传媒 System Board of Regents gave its approval for undertaking this initiative in May 2012.
"Establishing an independent health sciences university is a significant milestone for the Texas Tech family and the result of so many people鈥檚 hard work,鈥� said Mickey Long, chairman of the Board of Regents. 鈥淲e are thrilled to complete the process of adding a new university to the MINI传媒 System and continue the momentum in the El Paso region.鈥�
As an independent university, MINI传媒HSC at El Paso will benefit regional priorities by promoting access to health care and attracting more doctors and health care professionals to the area. Additionally, the university will be able to focus its research on diseases affecting Latino and border populations and provide quality care in a medically underserved region.
鈥淲e are grateful to our governor and state legislators who helped make this goal a reality,鈥� Hance said. 鈥淭he future is exciting, and we look forward to great things out of El Paso.鈥�
About the MINI传媒
The MINI传媒 is one of the top public university systems in the
state of Texas, consisting of four component institutions and operating at 12 academic
sites and centers. Headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, the MINI传媒 System has an annual operating
budget of $1.5 billion and approximately 17,000 employees focused on advancing higher
education, health care, research and outreach.
In 2012, total research expenditures approached $200 million and total enrollment exceeded 43,700 students for the first time in the MINI传媒 System鈥檚 history. Whether it鈥檚 contributing billions of dollars annually in economic impact or being the only system in Texas to house an academic institution, law school, and medical school at the same location, the MINI传媒 System continues to prove that anything is possible.