Statement from The University of Texas System on the merger of UT Tyler and UT Health Science Center at Tyler

The University of Texas System is pleased to announce that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges today approved an operational plan to merge UT Tyler (UTT) and the UT Health Science Center at Tyler (UTHSCT), one of the last critical steps in a process that began last year. Under this plan, UTHSCT will retain its status as a health-related institution while administratively becoming an instructional site of UTT. The UT System Board of Regents will meet later this month to take action on implementation of the merger, which begins January 1, 2021. 

The Board of Regents and Chancellor James B. Milliken announced an intention to unite UTT and UTHSCT a year ago, combining the talent, financial and physical resources of two outstanding institutions to more comprehensively serve the educational, health and economic needs of East Texas. Bringing these two institutions together will provide students, faculty and researchers exceptional opportunities to learn, teach, conduct research and deliver health care in a fully integrated academic and medical setting. Specifically, the proposed unified institution will result in an aligned university that is stronger than the sum of its parts and would:

• Afford UT Tyler students the benefits of the combined resources and assets of both institutions;
• Establish a unified, clear pathway from undergraduate education to graduate and professional programs, particularly in the health sciences;  
• Provide a seamless opportunity for collaboration among faculty in teaching, research, and service; 
• Provide a seamless, more robust experience for students and learners, particularly in the area of student life and experiential learning in the health sciences;
• Increase potential for interprofessional education and cross-disciplinary engagement, particularly in STEM fields but also in disciplines such as engineering, business, and the arts;
• Enhance UT Tyler’s profile and strengthen the competitive position of the unified institution to recruit faculty and students;
• Unify and strengthen fundraising and outreach efforts;
• Increase the ability to serve East Texas and beyond through a unified educational, research, healthcare, and service mission; and
• Position the unified institution for continued growth, particularly as a catalyst for a proposed medical school in Tyler.

Today’s approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools was made possible by the work of a dedicated steering committee consisting of faculty, staff and community and business leaders representing both Tyler institutions.