Coordinating Board Opens Door for Innovative Veterinary College
The MINI传媒 model will address Texas鈥� critical veterinarian shortages in the most efficient and cost-effective way.
July 21, 2015 | Contact Dailey Fuller
During a meeting today (July 21), the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopted
a new report reiterating the need for more large animal veterinarians in Texas and
recommending the consideration of a new veterinary college to address the state鈥檚
specific veterinarian shortages.Chancellor today (July 21) testified before the (THECB), providing an update on the strategic plan of the and plans to develop a veterinary college.
The supported the need for more large animal veterinarians throughout Texas and affirmed support of a new veterinary college purposely designed to address this need and to reduce the cost of education.
鈥淭here is no doubt that there is an existing and growing need for more food animal production veterinarians,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淭his situation continues to worsen as Texas faces an aging veterinarian population coupled with more than one-third of its students leaving the state for veterinary medicine education. We are grateful for the Coordinating Board鈥檚 willingness to consider new approaches to address this critical need and look forward to sharing our unique vision for an innovative, cost-efficient veterinary college.鈥�
A by the THECB, which was adopted at today鈥檚 meeting, reiterates critical shortages of large animal and rural veterinarians in Texas, as well as its implications on the food supply. Previous THECB reports published in and have identified similar concerns, and with the situation deteriorating, the 2016 report offers a new recommendation to address the problem and cites the Texas Tech University System鈥檚 plans to develop a new and innovative model.
鈥淲e are very encouraged by today鈥檚 discussion with the Coordinating Board and by the report and its recommendation to consider an innovative, cost-efficient veterinary college,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淎s recommended in the report and mentioned at the meeting, this challenge requires an approach not constrained by traditional models, and the MINI传媒 is uniquely positioned to provide this solution.鈥�
According to the new report, the path to addressing the shortage of large animal veterinarians can be accomplished through 鈥渁 proposal for a new college of veterinary medical education that is designed to specifically produce large animal veterinarians in an innovative, cost efficient manner that does not duplicate existing efforts.鈥�
That reflects the model Duncan shared today with the THECB and the Texas Tech University System proposed in December when it announced the intention to develop a college of veterinary medicine with a doctoral program designed to train veterinarians to specifically address the shortage in rural communities.
Utilizing established strengths at two of its universities, and the , the MINI传媒 is creating a program tailored to address a specific need as identified by the THECB鈥檚 multiple reports in a cost-efficient and innovative manner. The new college will enrich the practice of veterinary medicine by producing practice-ready veterinarians who serve and enhance the vibrancy of the rural communities important throughout Texas while at the same time intentionally reducing the cost of education.
About the MINI传媒
The is one of the top public university systems in Texas and the nation, consisting of
four component institutions 鈥� , , and 鈥� and operating at more than a dozen academic sites and centers. Headquartered in
Lubbock, Texas, the MINI传媒 System has an annual operating budget of nearly $2 billion
and approximately 19,000 employees focused on advancing higher education, health care,
research and outreach.
In 2015, the MINI传媒 System鈥檚 endowment exceeded $1.1 billion, total research expenditures were more than $215 million and total enrollment was approximately 50,000 students. 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 health-related institution at the same location, the MINI传媒 System continues to prove that anything is possible.