EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND 

Degree	School	Major	Date
B.A. M.A. Ph.D.	The University of Houston The University of Houston The University of Texas at Austin	Speech, English Speech, English Communications & Linguistics	January 1970 May 1972 August 1976
Post-Doctoral
Studies	Harvard University Harvard University Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Institute for Educational    Management JFK School of Government Summer Institute	Summer 1988 Summer 1989 Summer 1992
	London School of Business	Society for International    Business Fellows	Spring 1993

EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND

HONORS AND AWARDS

Texas Southmost College District Revenue Bond Elections

Directed two successful community supported general obligation bond campaigns for construction of new buildings on campus in 1986 and 2004.  The first funded the doubling of instructional and library capacity, restored historical buildings and upgraded infrastructure.   The second bond is helping fund an early childhood center, biomedical research building, digital library, new classroom building, a performing arts center, and renovation of the International Technology Education and Commerce Campus.

Endowment Challenge Grant

Recognizing the need to signal early to junior high and high school students the need for them to take and succeed in more rigorous coursework to prepare them for college, the challenge grant was designed. The $3 million dollar endowment, which has since grown to over $6 million, is used for scholarships earned by local students who take the more rigorous junior high and high school courses, make "A's" and "B's" in those courses, and attend The University of Texas at Brownsville.  Over 10,000 students have received these scholarships and come better prepared for college level coursework.

The unique endowment received state, regional, and national recognition for its innovative approach and successful implementation.

 ‘The Community University’

Many students begin their college education in community colleges but less than 20% of those same students transfer successfully to baccalaureate granting colleges or universities.  Since most Hispanics, women and non-traditional students begin their college education in community colleges and fail to earn degrees beyond the associate degree, a new model was developed in 1992. The model would borrow the best characteristics of the community college and combine them with the best of the university.

The new model would also eliminate barriers for students to provide them a seamless four-year educational program of study and be called a ‘community university’. The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, known more simply as UTB/TSC was established effective September 1, 1992.

Fifteen years after the partnership was established:   

• Student headcount at UTB/TSC has increased by 115% from 7,000 to over 15,000 students.

• Percentage of degrees awarded has increased significantly at all levels:

Certificate                     110%
Associate                     184%
Bachelor’s                    198%
Master’s                       148%

• Nineteen thousand degrees have been awarded.

• Attracted to the new model and its emphasis on innovation and effectiveness with the non-traditional minority student, faculty have been recruited from all over the world

• Campus facilities have grown to include new state of the art buildings for Science and Engineering, Life and Health Sciences Building, Education and Business. In addition, students have passed fee proposals to build a new Student Union, a new Recreation Center and expand athletics.

• Forty seven new degree programs have been added, including bachelor’s degrees in chemistry, engineering, and computer sciences, as well as master’s degrees in mathematics, physics, biology, and public policy.  As of fall, 2007, UTB/TSC welcomed the inaugural class of its first doctoral program in the School of Education.

• A new Math and Science Academy was established on the University campus fall of 2007 for junior and seniors in high school. The Math and Science Academy makes it possible for students to get a head start on their college careers by earning their last two years of high school concurrent with their first two years of college.

• The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board tracks the research expenditures by universities each year. In the year 2000, UTB/TSC’s share of research dollars was barely $369,000. By FY 2006, our annual expenditures had increased to $5.9 million. Most recently, UTB received an additional $8.9 million in new grants, with the largest amount from NSF for our Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the second largest amount from the US Department of Education for redesign of the alternative certification program for teacher training.

• A competitive chess team was established that played in the Pan Am World Series of Chess in December of 2006 and placed 8th internationally.

• The campus has undergone a transformation over the last 15 years. What started as a campus of 40 acres has grown to more than 460 acres. Over the next 4 years we will be completing more construction than we have in the entire last 20 years.

But the most important part of our transformation has been accomplished by the people that we have gathered from all over the world to teach and conduct their research here; the staff who work tirelessly and creatively to support the mission of the university; and our students, most of whom are first generation students, who while they lack experience, are not lacking in neither ambition nor potential.

• Chaired accreditation teams for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and served as Chair of the Commission on Colleges and as a member of the Board of Trustees. 

• Facilitated the development of a Strategic Plan for Technikon Mangosuthu in Durban, South Africa, as part of a project for American Council on Education and USAID.  1995-1997.

• Participated in discussions on the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexican President in 1993.  Appointed as a member of the Council of Advisors to the Education Transition Team for the Clinton Administration on issues for U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley.

• Served as Chair of the American Council on Education,  the major coordinating body for the nation's higher education institutions by seeking to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and to influence public policy through advocacy, research, and program initiatives

• Served as president of Texas Southmost College during the development of the Community University. Helped lead negotiations between the Texas Southmost College Board of Trustees and The University of Texas Board of Regents to establish the unique partnership. Was selected to serve as president of the new University and design and install the new concept with legislators, community leaders, faculty and staff.

• Currently serve as chair of two committees for the Ford Foundation Board of Trustees including the Proxy Committee and the Committee on Asset Building and Community Development.  

• Served as a member of the Selection Committee for the newly appointed President of the Ford Foundation, Public Welfare Foundation and National Campus Compact.  

• Currently serve as chair of Texas Campus Compact, a coalition of 47 university presidents committed to encouraging civic engagement on their campuses.

• Serve as founding chair of the Borderplex Health Coalition, comprised of two medical schools and two universities serving the Southern region of Texas.

• Lecture annually at the Harvard IEM leadership program in the School of Education and invited to speak extensively at national meetings on issues relating to successful and innovative models for higher education, and gender and minority issues.  

CURRENTLY WORKING MOST ACTIVELY WITH:

• The Public Welfare Foundation, Washington, D.C.
• The Ford Foundation, New York City
• Texas Campus Compact, Austin
• Raise Your Hand-Texas, Bipartisan Public School Advocacy Group, Austin

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