UT Regents approve new partnership principles
The University of Texas System Board of Regents resolved during a special meeting to continue the renegotiations of the partnership agreement between the UT System, the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College.
The board referred to the renegotiations as an "enhancement" of the partnership, and resolved that it "understands the importance of seeking a more efficient, effective model of collaboration to fully realize the challenges in higher education in the coming years."
The regents also agreed that the new partnership would be designed to follow a set of principles and concepts compiled by a university task force. According to that document, the partnership will be designed to "clarify ownership and responsibilities within the partnership, streamline organizational and reporting structure, establish more clearly defined leadership goals, offer transparency and clearer understanding of mission to all stakeholders, and provide a funding model that builds on efficiencies of partnership," among other principles.
The task force that created the principles included employees of the UT System and UTB, but did not include TSC Trustees, UT Regents, college presidents or the chancellor.
"The task force met to talk about shared governance and identify every conceivable issue that could arise in the partnership," said David Oliveira, chair of the TSC Board of Trustees.
UTB-TSC aims to have a new partnership agreement in place by the summer, according to UTB-TSC Provost Alan Artibise.
