by Legislative Media | Apr 25, 2015 | Politics
Featured: Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, addressing colleagues in the Chamber of the Texas Senate.
Photograph By SENATE MEDIA SERVICES
The Texas Senate on Tuesday, April 21, passed legislation by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, that would shed light on the compensation paid to attorneys and guardians who are appointed by courts to represent a person, such as a minor, an elderly person or a person with disabilities, who is deemed unable of representing himself or herself. “Two decades ago a Supreme Court task force found evidence that some state judges abused their discretionary authority by using appointment income to reward campaign supporters. Since then, there has been little reform, and the media has continued to report on problems,” said Zaffirini. “When even the appearance of abuse undermines the public’s confidence in the entire judicial system, it is critical that we do more to promote transparency in the ad litem system.” SB 1369 would require courts appointing attorneys, guardians and mediators to submit to the Office of Court Administration data including the name of each person appointed by the court, the rate and total amount of compensation paid to each attorney in that year and the number of hours each attorney served ad litem for the appointed case. The information would be posted on websites accessible to the public and physically at the courthouse. “It appears that more than $25 million in taxpayer money has been spent on these appointments through 2014,” Zaffirini said. “The true cost is likely much higher, however, especially because many courts have not reported the information. SB 1369 will help us gain a clearer picture of the costs and discourage potential abuses.” If a court fails to report the data, it would be made ineligible for state grant funding for a two-year period. Zaffirini, who previously served as Chair of the Senate Government Organization Committee and Co-Chair of the Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency, long has promoted legislation that would increase transparency in state government. This session she has filed legislation enhancing the transparency of university system Boards of Regents’ meetings, improving oversight of state contracting, promoting “Truth in Taxation” and centralizing state grant information in a searchable database. Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, and Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, are co-authors of Zaffirini’s SB 1369.
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by Legislative Media | Apr 24, 2015 | Politics
Featured, from left: Lissette Almanza of Houston and Christopher Vela of Edinburg, both staff members for Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin; Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen; and Sen. José R. Rodríguez, D-El Paso, a graduate of then-Pan American University who was raised in Alamo, outside the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol.
Photograph By SENATE MEDIA
Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen,was one of only five Senate appointees – and the only Democrat – selected on Thursday, April 23, by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, to serve on the Senate/House Conference Committee that will come up with a final state budget for the 2016-17 biennium. “I am honored to have been selected by Lt. Governor Patrick for such an important responsibility,” said Hinojosa, who is Vice-Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which came up with the Senate version of the state budget. “Through this appointment I am able to help craft a state budget that will pave the way for an educated and healthy workforce and a successful Texas economy.” A conference committee is a special legislative panel appointed by the Lt. Governor and the Speaker of the House when there are differences between a Senate bill and a House bill that deal with the same issue, such as the proposed state budget that has been approved by the Senate and the proposed state budget that has been approved by the House of Representatives. On Wednesday, April 1, the House approved $209.8 billion budget, followed by the Senate, which on Wednesday, April 14, voted for a $211.4 billion budget. There are major differences in how much money is provided for certain programs and tax cuts, which resulted in the creation of the conference committee. “It is critical we work together to sort out the significant differences between the House and Senate versions to invest efficiently in our state programs so that we provide the services needed by our most vulnerable populations and that we wisely invest in infrastructure, transportation, healthcare, border security, and our students.” For example, the Senate budget proposes an $811 million increase for border security while the House budget calls for a $565 million boost. The Senate budget does not provide any increase for increasing Medicaid payments to doctors, while the House budget provides a $460 million boost. “Serious discussions will be taking place during the final budget process in the coming weeks and I am fully committed to support the funding priorities we need for South Texas and our entire state,” Hinojosa pledged.
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by Legislative Media | Apr 23, 2015 | Politics
Featured, Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, and Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, in the Chamber of the House of Representatives, and both co-authors of the potentially life-saving “The Right To Try Act”.
Photograph By HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY
Texas is getting closer to becoming one of a handful of states to allow terminally ill patients, through their doctors, access to experimental but potentially life-saving drugs not yet on the market, but which have cleared initial review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. House Bill 21, whose primary author is Rep. Kyle Kacal, R-College Station, is based on a concept known as “Right to Try”, which advocates at the national level for many years have been championing as a humane and necessary option for gravely-ill patients who have no other legal last resort in Texas. HB 21 was approved by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, April 22. HB 21, coauthored by Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, would allow a dying person, with the consent of their physician, to receive promising new medication that has passed the first phase of the FDA’s rigorous review process, but which has not received final approval. “During this long process, people may die waiting for the FDA to approve potentially life-saving medicines,” said Canales. “HB 21 would help protect physicians and drug manufacturers from legal liability. But most importantly, it would provide a person another chance at life when there is no hope, which is what all of us would want for ourselves and our loved ones.” This legislation seeks to establish a remedy to this situation, he contended, explaining that the proposal “seeks to cut through the FDA’s red tape as the FDA is determining whether a drug is safe enough to bring to market.” Canales, who had also filed similar legislation, joined forces with Kacal to help successfully move the issue through the House of Representatives. Arizona voters on Tuesday, November 5, 2014, passed Proposition 303, a state ballot measure giving terminally ill patients the right to try investigational medicines that have passed the first phase of FDA approval but still may be years away from reaching pharmacy shelves. “Right to Try” is already law in Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan and Missouri, where it passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in all four states. Arizona is the first state to pass the law by voter initiative. A similar measure, Senate Bill 694 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston was approved by the Senate on Thursday, April 9, and is awaiting action in the House of Representatives. “In these fairly uncommon situations, time is a predator, that it is unconscionable that government is standing in the way of a potential cure,” Bettencourt said. In explaining the intent of the “Right To Try Act”, Canales outlined the key processes required by the FDA before a new drug is approved. “There are four phases in the drug review process by the FDA, which can take as longer than a decade to complete, far too long for critically-ill people who have not been helped by available medications and treatments,” the South Texas lawmaker said. Phase I alone, on average takes almost two years to complete. “Right to Try” has bipartisan political support, including from the Goldwater Institute of Phoenix, Arizona, which was founded in 1988 with the blessings of the late Sen. Barry Goldwater, a national conservative leader and Republican presidential nominee in 1964. He served in the U.S. Senate for 30 years until his retirement in 1987. According to the Goldwater Institute, even a program by the FDA to allow a critically-ill patient, with the consent of his/her physician, to use experimental drugs takes too long. The FDA, whose extensive duties include ensuring that medicine is safe and effective for human use, is a huge federal agency with almost 15,000 employees and a $14 billion operating budget. Such a massive government organization makes it difficult to overcome overwhelming bureaucratic red tape and related delays. As a result, the Goldwater Institute contends that such bureaucratic impediments violate an individual’s fundamental right to try to save his own life. Unfortunately, the federal government has shown little interest in reforming the FDA as bills to reform the process for terminal patients have been introduced, but have never received a vote in Congress. State legislators, however, have the opportunity to protect their citizens’ right to try investigational medications by enacting Right to Try measures. These measures would ensure the right to protect one’s life by returning medical decisions where they belong – to patients and doctors. “Terminally ill people don’t have time to wait for new drugs to make their way through the decade-long approval process. Prop 303 lets patients work directly with their doctors to access promising investigational medicines now,” said Darcy Olsen, president of the Goldwater Institute. The FDA has a process that allows people to seek permission to access investigational medicines. This “Compassionate Use” process takes hundreds of hours of paperwork and time to navigate. While many people ultimately receive FDA permission, there are dozens of documented cases of people dying while waiting on their approval. “Americans shouldn’t have to ask the government for permission to try to save their own lives,” said Olsen. “They should be able to work with their doctors directly to decide what potential treatments they are willing to try.”
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by Legislative Media | Apr 22, 2015 | Politics
Featured: Air Force Staff Sgt. Rosemery Aragón signals as airmen load simulated patients during a readiness training exercise in Alexandria, La., March 13, 2014. Aragón, an aeromedical service superintendent, is assigned to the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron.
U.S. Air Force photograph By TECH. SGT. MATTHEW SMITH
Veterans or current members of the U.S. armed forces – mostly women – who were victims of sexual trauma, such as rape, during their military service, then wind up breaking Texas laws as a direct result of that anguish would be able to receive proper treatments under court supervision rather than going to jail, Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, has proposed. House Bill 1958 by Canales would allow such victims of sexual trauma, including those who were sexually harassed during their time in the military service, to have their cases heard by a growing number of specialized judicial forums in Texas, known as veterans courts. His measure was heard at the Texas Capitol on Wednesday, April 8, 2015 by the House Committee on Defense & Veterans’ Affairs. “In 2010, women in the military had a higher chance of being raped than being killed in combat. In 2014, 48 percent of women in the military said they experienced sexual harassment, while 8.2 percent experienced unwanted sexual contact,” Canales reported. “Sexual trauma is a very deeply distressing experience, and the terrible and often long-lasting shock of such events can have the most dire consequences.” Texans will get their first in-depth look at Canales’ HB 1958 during the committee hearing, which will take place as the U.S. Department of Defense observes Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Currently, about 15 veterans courts, which were authorized several years ago by the Texas Legislature, are operating in Texas, including in Hidalgo and Cameron counties. “Veterans courts are designed to provide intense treatment programs to veterans suffering from medical and emotional catastrophes, specifically brain injury, mental illness, or mental disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder,” said Canales. “Veterans and active military personnel who are victims of sexual trauma stemming from their service also should be allowed to receive the specialized medical services they, too, need and deserve, rather than being cast to jail with no regard to what they have suffered.” In order to qualify for treatments through a veterans court, the local district attorney must agree that the veteran’s criminal behavior was significantly affected by trauma directly related to their military service. A December 5, 2014 account by MilitaryTimes.com supports Canales’ concern that sexual trauma does indeed continue to affect many military personnel. “The number of rapes and violent sexual assaults is significantly higher than previously thought, according to new data released by the Defense Department and the Rand Corp.,” Patricia Kime, staff writer for MilitaryTimes.com wrote in her story, “Incidents of rape in military much higher than previously reported”. According to Kime, “preliminary findings of an extensive survey of 170,000 troops released Thursday (December 4) revealed that 20,000 service members said they had experienced at least one incident of unwanted sexual contact in the past year, representing nearly 5 percent of all active-duty women and 1 percent of active-duty men.” Her story noted that many of the 20,000 assaults in 2014 “were violent, probing acts. Nearly half the assaults reported by women and 35 percent reported by men were ‘penetrative sexual assaults’ — crimes that include rape and penetration with an object.”
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by Legislative Media | Apr 19, 2015 | Politics
Featured on Wednesday, February 26, 2o14 accepting a Hidalgo County Commissioners’ Court proclamation in support of the creation of a South Texas College branch campus for the Delta Region are, front row, from left: Cynthia (Cindy) Garza-Reyes, Interim District Director of the Edinburg Office for Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes; Rep. Óscar Longoria, Jr., D-La Joya; and Alex Ríos, District Director for Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg. Back row, from left: Hidalgo County Commissioner Joseph Palacios; Hidalgo County Judge Ramón García; and Hidalgo County Commissioner A.C. Cuellar, Jr.
Photograph By HIDALGO COUNTY PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
Legislation proposing the creation of a South Texas College branch campus in the Delta Region of Hidalgo County, with the proposed site to be located in Elsa or Edcouch, is scheduled for a public hearing before the House Committee on Higher Education for Wednesday, April 22, Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, has announced. “South Texas College, which receives significant funding from all property taxpayers in Hidalgo and Starr counties, has an obligation to bring higher education opportunities and invest more of its resources in communities, such as in the Delta Region, which would most benefit from seeing a STC facility in its own backyard,” said Canales, whose House District 40 features portions or all of Edinburg, Elsa, Faysville, La Blanca, Linn, Lópezville, McAllen, Pharr, San Carlos and Weslaco. The measure, House Bill 382, would require STC “to operate a branch campus within the corporate limits of the municipality of Edcouch or Elsa.” The legislative committee hearing on Wednesday comes as Rio Grande City, McAllen, Weslaco and Pharr are positioned to reap the benefits of a $159 million bond election for new construction that was narrowly approved in early November 2013 by voters in Hidalgo and Starr counties. Canales’ proposal is listed as the second measure on the committee’s meeting agenda, and is one of several House bills that will have a direct impact on South Texas College. The committee is scheduled to begin its meeting at 8 a.m., and if needed, continue later in the afternoon once the full House of Representatives, which begins its work at 10 a.m., finishes up for that day. The session will be available for live viewing on the Internet, or afterwards as a video recording in its entirety, by logging on http://www.house.state.tx.us/video-audio/ by clicking the House Committee on Higher Education. For the past few years, Canales has been working with Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, and Rep. Óscar Longoria, Jr., D-La Joya, to convince STC to establish a physical presence in that region. Longoria’s House District 35 includes Edcouch, La Villa, and Monte Alto. Hinojosa’s Congressional District 15, which covers Brooks, Duval, Guadalupe, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Karnes, Live Oak, and Wilson counties, includes Edcouch, Elsa, La Villa, and Monte Alto. Both Longoria and Hinojosa have ties to the STC Board of Trustees – Hinojosa was a founding member and first Chairman of the STC Board of Trustees, and Longoria served on the STC Board of Trustees before being elected to the Texas House of Representatives in November 2012. Canales, Hinojosa and Longoria first publicly brought up the need for the Delta Region branch campus when they addressed the STC Board of Trustees on Tuesday, March 25, 2014. “We outlined a proposal that would benefit the people in the Delta Region. The presentation included statistical data from the U.S. Census Bureau highlighting population pockets within our district and their needs,” said Hinojosa. “During the (March 25) presentation, trustees heard well-formulated plans to create a STC satellite campus in the Delta region. With a college anchored in the Delta Region, students from surrounding communities such as La Blanca, San Carlos, Hargill, Faysville, Linn, San Manuel and Puerto Rico will also have the opportunity to attend a campus that is more accessible.” The Delta Region communities are connected by East State Highway 107 between Edinburg and Weslaco. Although Weslaco has the STC Mid-Valley Campus, located about a dozen miles away from Edcouch and Elsa, that site is land-locked with limited space to expand, Canales reflected. “The Pecan Campus, which is the northernmost campus of STC, leaves huge areas of Hidalgo County with long commutes to attend classes,” Canales said. “A STC campus in the Delta Region would be able to expand in order to serve not only the students from the Delta Region but also from Edinburg and for future students from northern Hidalgo County, where much of our population increases will occur in the coming years.”
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by Legislative Media | Apr 16, 2015 | Politics
Featured at microphone: Rep. Óscar Longoria, Jr., D-La Joya, flanked by fellow House members and law enforcement leaders in the Speaker’s Committee Room at the Texas Capitol, addressing reporters on Wednesday, March 11, regarding his filing of House Bill 12, which targets Mexican drug cartels and related crimes along the Texas border with Mexico.
Photograph By HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY
Prosecutors and other law enforcement leaders along the Texas-Mexico border will have a stronger weapon against criminals, especially those tied into the deadly plots of Mexican drug cartels, under legislation by Rep. Óscar Longoria, Jr., D-La Joya, which was unanimously approved by the Texas House of Representatives on Thursday, April 9. His measure, House Bill 12, includes Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, as a co-author of the legislation. HB 12, which still must receive Senate approval and signed into law by the governor, would increase the ability of the Border Prosecution Unit to better coordinate efforts by local and state authorities to fight Mexican drug lords by improving on the Texas side of the border the prosecution of crimes and criminal enterprises, especially in more rural border counties, associated with drug cartels. “I am extremely pleased to announce that House Bill 12 has been voted out of the House,” Longoria said. “This legislation is important because it places the Border Prosecution Unit into statute, which better allows local officials to prosecute crimes, such as drug smuggling, murder, kidnapping, extortion, money laundering and human trafficking.” HB 12 would formalize the practices and procedures that the Border Prosecution Unit has been implementing successfully since 2009, when Gov. Rick Perry created the unit to aid in border security operations, according to the bill analysis by the House Research Organization, which is the research-arm of the House of Representatives. The House Research Organization, in its bill analysis of HB 12, also noted that border crime affects the entire state, but HB 12 would help prevent criminals from spreading deeper into Texas by stopping crime as close to the border as possible. But it also shielded the border region from claims that it is crime-ridden. “The border region has a low crime rate compared with the rest of the state,” the House Research Organization found. “El Paso has one of the lowest crime rates in the country compared with other cities of its size, and the Rio Grande Valley is safer than most U.S. cities.” The Border Prosecution Unit, or “BPU” as it has come to be known, is a history-making initiative involving the Texas Department of Public Safety and each of the district attorneys in the border jurisdictions of Texas, according to District Attorney Carlos Omar García of Jim Wells County. Stretching from El Paso to Brownsville and covering 49 counties along and adjacent to the Rio Grande River, the Border Prosecution Unit encompasses a network of 17 Texas district attorney offices, including García’s 79th Judicial District. In each of these offices, an assistant district attorney is assigned to handle a specialized caseload of border crime cases, García explains on his official web site. “The Border Prosecution Unit is vital in helping prosecutors screen cases, secure indictments and bring accused criminals to trial,” Longoria noted. “This bill will give our prosecutors the resources and support they need to ensure that those who enslave, exploit and endanger others are put behind bars where they belong.”
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by Legislative Media | Apr 15, 2015 | Politics
Featured, from left: Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen; Dr. Francisco Fernández, Founding Dean, The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine; Mayor Richard García, who also serves as President of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors; and Richard Molina, Edinburg City Councilmember, at the UT-Pan American Ballroom on Wednesday, February 26, 2014.
Photograph By PEDRO PÉREZ, IV
Almost 10 years after the Texas Legislature first authorized the financing for its creation, the $42.7 million, 1,000-seat Performing Arts Complex at The University of Texas-Pan American will host thousands of area residents during a Thursday, April 23 debut with a Grande Premiere Concert, beginning at 7:30 p.m. (UT-Pan American will be renamed The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley in the fall.) UTPA and UT-RGV leaders are pulling out all the stops to showcase what will be a showpiece among the Valley’s increasing number of impressive centers for musical performances, sports events, and other major gatherings. The State Farm Arena in Hidalgo and the McAllen Convention Center – both publicly-owned entertainment facilities that can serve thousands of patrons per event – now share center stage with the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance, the Bert Ogden Arena, set to begin construction in Edinburg, and now, the Performing Arts Complex that will serve as the heart of the local University of Texas System campus. UTPA officials on Tuesday, April 14, announced that in order to celebrate the highly anticipated grand opening of the state-of-the-art facility, they have planned a spectacular evening of the arts, starting at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, and featuring performances by faculty and student artists from UTPA and The University of Texas at Brownsville. Doors open at 7 p.m. for the Grand Premiere Concert, and the public is invited to be part of the free festivities. For more information or if special accommodations are needed to attend the concert, call (956) 665-5301. Mayor Richard García, who also serves as President of the EEDC’s five-member Board of Directors, said the emergence of the Performing Arts Complex will have profound and long-lasting effects on the city council’s and EEDC’s vision for downtown revitalization. “It fits in with our master plan for cultural development for our city,” the mayor said. “With the $42.7 million Performing Arts Complex, as well as the coming construction of the $68 million city-owned Bert Ogden Arena, along with the $54 million UT-RGV School of Medicine’s Medical Academic Building now under construction, and a $70 million UT-RGV science building annex approved to be built on campus, we are making our hometown the center for high-quality, family entertainment venues and educational excellence that not only improve our quality of life, but make it that much more attractive for businesses to expand and locate in our city, and with it, create more jobs and economic prosperity. García also praised the Valley’s state legislative delegation for securing more than $30 million earlier in April for a new engineering building at UT-RGV in Edinburg, a tremendous funding boost that could result in the planned development of a $50 million complex. García, who has built a statewide reputation as a leader who always shares the credit with others on major successes, said he wants one person in particular to be forever linked to the Performing Arts Complex. “We wanted this facility badly, we needed this facility badly, and the big hero on that is Sen. (Juan ‘Chuy’) Hinojosa (D-McAllen),” the mayor said. “I would love to see that facility be named after him. I have told him that in the past, and I will lead that charge because he was largely responsible for the state funding, and fighting to keep that money for the Performing Arts C0mplex.” Hinojosa was the driving force in the spring of 2006, when the Texas Legislature was at work during a special session at the State Capitol. “He was the principal legislative architect who made the state financing possible for this landmark project,” García recalled. “He successfully attached an amendment to a statewide tuition revenue bond bill. His effective move provided the needed financing mechanisms to pay for the Performing Arts Complex, which represents one of the largest infusions of financial resources by the state for new construction at UT-RGV.” Hinojosa emphasized the positive impact of the Performing Arts Complex. “This facility will attract supporters of the arts, quality performers and outside visitors. These benefits will also radiate into the community in other ways,” said Hinojosa. “I am confident the Performing Arts Complex will be top-notch, and it will bolster the local economy by attracting jobs and investment, and enrich the cultural life of the Rio Grande Valley. Investments like these are particularly beneficial because they help boost UT-RGV’s profile in the region.”
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by Legislative Media | Apr 14, 2015 | Politics
Dr. Havidán Rodríguez, President Ad Interim for The University of Texas Pan American, and a Board Member for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, hands out more than 1,300 diplomas to graduates during two commencement ceremonies held on Saturday, December 13 at the McAllen Convention Center.
Photograph By JOSUE ESPARZA
The American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education recently selected Dr. Havidán Rodríguez, President Ad Interim of The University of Texas Pan American, to receive the prestigious Alfredo G. de los Santos Jr. Distinguished Leadership in Higher Education Award. The award is given to an outstanding administrator in the field of higher education who has demonstrated excellence in the profession. It is named after Alfredo G. de los Santos Jr., a research professor at Arizona State University regarded as a national leader, mentor and champion in higher education. Rodríguez also serves on the Board of Directors of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation (EEDC), which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. Rodríguez, who picked up the award at the annual AAHHE conference in March in Dallas, was nominated by several UTPA faculty members and other distinguished faculty nationwide. In her nomination, Dr. Marie Mora, economics professor and Vice Provost Fellow for Faculty Affairs at UTPA, said Rodríguez inspired her to start pursuing an administrative career. “Seeing how active President Rodríguez continues to be in research and in his profession, and seeing how much of a positive difference he has made since coming here (to UTPA), has made me realize how much of a difference one person can make,” she said. “We really do need more passionate and effective leaders like President Rodríguez who can excite and inspire others.” Nominator Dr. Fernando I. Rivera, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Central Florida, once worked under Rodríguez as an undergraduate research assistant at the Center for Applied Social Research, which Rodríguez headed at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez. In his nomination letter, Rivera cited Rodríguez’ mentorship to him as a professor and Director of the American Sociological Association Minority Fellowship Program. “My experience is not unique, he has touched countless lives with his leadership and care for others. The thing about President Rodríguez is that everything he touches he makes it better, better students, programs and a better university experience,” Rivera said. Rodríguez said he was honored and humbled to receive the award and expressed the need to continue to work with others to increase the voice, visibility and impact of Latinos and Latinas in higher education institutions across the country. “Much progress has been made, but we have a long road before us. The AAHHE and other similar organizations play a critical role in helping us diversity our colleges and universities. It is also critical for us, as Latino and Latina leaders, to promote and pursue excellence in everything we do,” Rodríguez said. His dedication to the future of students at UTPA and UTRGV was reflected in all of his encouraging comments to the December 2014 graduation class, telling the graduates, who were joined by thousands of family members and friends, that with their degrees, they have the power to make a difference but it will take hard work, perseverance, commitment and a desire to serve. “A college degree is one of the most valuable assets you will ever own. It can be a powerful tool to transform your life, to benefit your family and to empower you to help your community, wherever that may be,” Rodríguez said. “I hope that each of you will remember this ceremony as the beginning of a very important journey.”
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by Legislative Media | Apr 12, 2015 | Politics
Featured, front row: As Valley lawmakers celebrate Gov. Greg Abbott’s promise to help deep South Texas, the governor gives an appreciative handshake to Ana María García, Regional Director for U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, during the governor’s appearance at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance on Thursday, January 22, 2015. Back row, from left: Rep. Óscar Longoria, Jr., D-La Joya; Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg; Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra, D-McAllen; Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen; and Sen. Sylvia García, D-Houston.
Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR
More than $30 million would be available to help build a proposed Interdisciplinary Engineering and Academic Studies Building at the Edinburg campus – currently The University of Texas Pan American – of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, and the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation have announced. UT-Pan American, along with The University of Texas at Brownsville and the Regional Academic Health Centers in Edinburg and Harlingen, are in the process of utilizing their assets and resources to create a new university, The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, which will include a full-fledged School of Medicine with campuses in Edinburg and Harlingen. The EEDC, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council, along with the mayor and city council, have made the construction of the new engineering complex one of their legislative priorities at the State Capitol. The proposed financing is included in a statewide measure, House Bill 100, of which Canales is a co-author, which received final approval in the House of Representatives on Thursday, April 9. An identical measure is being considered in the Senate. House Bill 100, whose primary author is Rep. John Zerwas, M.D., a Republican from Richmond – and Chair of the House Committee on Higher Education – authorizes the issuance of $3.1 billion in tuition revenue bonds throughout the state for institutions of higher education – including in the UT and Texas A&M systems – to finance construction and renovation of infrastructure and facilities “The UT System has plans for a $50 million, state-of-the-art academic complex that would help prepare more engineering students while also addressing space requirements for other academic disciplines as needed,” Canales said. “What the House has approved – $30.6 million – goes a long way toward helping the UT System reach this very important goal.” Canales noted this latest project is in addition to several major facilities already underway at the Edinburg campus. “In 2013, the UT System authorized funding for the construction of a $70 million Science Building Annex at UT Pan American and $54 million for a UT medical school academic building next to the Edinburg campus,” Canales said. “This is in addition to the $42.6 million, 1,000-seat Academic and Performing Arts Center at UTPA, also already funded, which is well on its way to being completed.” All higher education institutions seeking revenue through House Bill 100 had to settle for less than they had originally requested, but still are on the way to receiving major facility upgrades and new construction at their respective campuses, the House District 40 lawmaker explained. Canales said the UT System could provide the balance to reach the $50 million target for the new complex through numerous ways, including by using some of its own vast financial resources, through cost-savings at UTRGV, private contributions, or other options. “We have come up with most of the bonding authority requested by the UT System, and I am confident they will do what it takes to meet the needs of our best and brightest students,” Canales said. The $30.6 million for the new facility in Edinburg authorized by HB 100 would be raised in part through the use of tuition revenue bonds, which are funds generated from tuition charges levied against students or universities. As more students are enrolled, more money from tuition is generated that is used to help repay the debt from tuition revenue bonds. The majority of the money for the new construction, however, comes from funds provided by the Texas Legislature, not from the students. Canales gave credit to UT-RGV leaders, including President Guy Bailey and UT-Pan American Ad Interim President Havidán Rodríguez, as well as to the Edinburg mayor, Edinburg City Council, and Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, for helping rally legislative and political support for what would be the latest and one of the largest new facilities on the Edinburg campus. “Mayor (Richard) García, along with President Bailey and President Rodríguez, continue to play vital roles in helping the Valley state legislative delegation successfully fight for our fair share of state and UT System resources,” said Canales. “Once final legislative approval is secured, and we get the governor behind it, as I expect he will support this legislation, there will be another monument of higher education rising into the Valley skyline.” Mayor García also serves as President of the Board of Directors for the EEDC, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council. Agustín “Gus” García (no relation to the mayor), serves as EEDC Executive Director. “The decision of the House of Representatives to support UT Rio Grande Valley through $30.6 million in legislative funding for UTRGV’s Engineering and Academic Studies Building will enhance the learning experience for our students and greatly impact student success. We are thankful to Representative Canales for his commitment to UTRGV and the entire Valley delegation for their support on this endeavor and all of our major priorities for this legislative session,” said Bailey, the founding president of what will become one of the largest higher education systems in the state. Once the funding plan clears the Legislature, facility programming could begin in October 2015, with design development approval scheduled for August 2016, leading to occupancy by August 2018. “The University of Texas Pan American continues to experience an increase in its student population, and with nearly 30,000 students enrolling and transitioning to UT Rio Grande Valley, it is imperative that we address our critical need for space to support this enrollment growth,” said Rodríguez, who has the honor of being the final president of UT Pan American. Rodríguez, who also serves on the Board of Directors for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, will remain with UTRGV as its founding Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Enrollment in UTPA’s engineering programs has already exceeded 2,200; however, our current engineering building was only designed to accommodate about 1,400 students. UTRGV is the perfect steward of these state funds, which are going to be utilized in the best interest of our students and to ensure their success,” said Rodríguez. “The support of our legislators speaks volumes about our strong and ongoing partnerships and their interest in the success of our students in South Texas.”
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by Legislative Media | Apr 10, 2015 | Politics
Featured, from left: Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes; Pedro Reyes, Ph.D., formerly of Alamo, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at The University of Texas System in Austin; and Ernest Aliseda of McAllen, Member, The UT System Board of Regents, in Edinburg on Tuesday, August 14, 2014.
Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR
Pedro Reyes, Ph.D., the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for the mammoth University of Texas System, and who has built a legacy as a long-time champion for student success, is stepping down to return to full-time teaching and research at The University of Texas at Austin. Reyes, who is originally from Alamo in the Rio Grande Valley, will stay through December 2015 in a pivotal role for the UT System leadership, providing guidance on UT-RGV, UT System’s engineering and computer science initiative, the establishment of the Americas Institute and other high-profile projects. “Working with the UT System’s academic presidents to make significant improvements in student success on such a wide scale has been one of the richest and most rewarding experiences of my professional career,” Reyes said. “But now it’s time for me to return to my other passion – teaching and research.” As the top academic leader in the UT System for the last several years, Reyes led a far-reaching – and successful – effort to increase student success and retention at every academic institution. He and his team coordinated funding, training and resources to help each campus set and strive to reach its targets. News of Reyes’ decision came on Thursday, April 9, the same day that Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, announced that The National Science Foundation awarded two separate grants to UT-RGV totaling $685,976 for a program that creates a pathway to obtaining a Master’s degree in Mathematics and a workshop that will encourage and assist women of color in entering the field of political science. “The National Science Foundation has long been a great source of support for many vital programs in education throughout our nation”, said Hinojosa. “These grants will benefit so many students at our new UT-RGV for many years. I am very pleased to see that our higher education system in deep South Texas continues to grow in ways that will enhance our communities and our residents throughout the Rio Grande Valley.” The goal of the conference is to provide attendees the necessary skills and networks to enter the political science profession, successfully achieve tenure and sustain their careers thereafter. This workshop brings together scholars from different universities, at different stages in their careers, to deepen intellectual engagement and to build coalitions that support excellence in diversifying the political science profession. Research demonstrates that women of color face barriers such as lack of mentorship, financial resources, and significant familial responsibilities in their pursuit of higher education and subsequent careers in political science. The awards are scheduled to begin this month and May of 201
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