Statement on Texas Southmost College Board of Trustees' Decision Not to Sell Real Estate

AUSTIN – The following statement from University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., was issued today (June 26) regarding Texas Southmost College Board of Trustees’ decision not to sell any real estate for future use by The University of Texas at Brownsville.

Statement from Chancellor Cigarroa:

“The University of Texas System proposed to Texas Southmost College (TSC) an “Educational Village” concept with facilities owned and operated separately by TSC and the University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB) campus alongside one another within the historic Ft. Brown campus. 

“At a meeting of the TSC and UT System transition teams in Brownsville on Monday (June 25), TSC representatives announced that the community college district would not sell any real estate at this time or in the next three to five years, and that leasing facilities for use by UTB is the appropriate solution.

“The UT System stated early in the transition team negotiations that leasing facilities is not in the best interest of UTB’s educational mission as it is not conducive for a prosperous and growing four-year university. The UT System’s priority remains to build a vibrant four-year university campus that one day can rival the best universities in the state. Doing so on borrowed land and with leased facilities does not allow UTB to appropriately advance its educational mission. Without access to land for expansion in Ft. Brown, the proposed ‘Educational Village’ would not be practical; therefore, the UT System will move quickly to evaluate alternative sites in Brownsville for future expansion of the main UTB campus and build the required infrastructure necessary to accommodate its students by Fall of 2015. 

“Transition activities in preparation for the separation of the two institutions will continue as before, through the interim period until the August 31, 2015 termination date.”