University of North Texas at Dallas

University of North Texas at Dallas
Former names
 University of North Texas System Center
University of North Texas Dallas Campus
Type Public
Established 2000
President Bob Mong[1]
Students 3,030[2]
Location Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Campus Urban, 264 acres (1.07 km2)
Colors Green and Blue[3]
         
Mascot Jaguars
Website www.untdallas.edu

The University of North Texas at Dallas (UNTD) is a state university, which began in 2000 as a branch campus of the University of North Texas, offering upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses; in 2009 it became a free-standing university, offering a full undergraduate program as well as graduate work. Enrollment at UNT Dallas is certified by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.[4]

History and development

UNT Dallas campus circa May 2016

In 1997 State Sen. Royce West suggested a feasibility study for a state university in southern Dallas County an area of Dallas County that is predominantly African American and was then served only by the private Paul Quinn College. The campus, which was to become the first public university within Dallas city limits, was launched at a temporary location in the spring 2000 semester with an enrollment of 204 part-time students, or a full-time equivalent enrollment of 55.

The Dallas City Council approved a resolution in June 2001 to provide up to $3 million by January 2002 to buy about 200 acres (0.81 km2) in southern Dallas' I-20 corridor for the future UNT Dallas campus. Private donations raised the size of the property for the new university campus to 264 acres (1.07 km2).

A 2001 bill passed by the Texas Legislature and signed into law by Governor Rick Perry authorized the UNT System to establish UNT Dallas as an independent university once enrollment reached 2,500. A 2003 bill changed the requirement to the equivalent of 1,000 full-time students for one semester.

A ground-breaking ceremony for the first building on the future campus took place in October 2005. The first 76,000-square-foot (7,100 m2), permanent building on the UNT Dallas Campus site was occupied in January 2007. The building was made possible by a state tuition revenue bond (TRB) initiative of $25.5 million.Further funding from the same source was used to construct the second building, and construction began in 2009.[5]

Enrollment on the UNT Dallas Campus initially grew at an average annual rate of 14 percent per year and reached the necessary full-time equivalent of 1,000 students during the spring semester of 2007. In April 2009, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board certified this enrollment and granted UNT Dallas status as an independent general academic institution. Freshmen and sophomores were admitted for the first time in the Fall of 2010.

From the beginning, the head of the campus was John Ellis Price. Initially he was designated the UNT Dallas Campus chief executive officer; the position was later upgraded first to vice chancellor, then "president designate" and finally, President. Price announced in July 2012 that he would not remain in his job after his contract ends in August 2013.[6] On March 26, 2013, the UNT Board of Regents announced that Dr. Ronald T. Brown would become the next President, effective July 1, 2013.[7] On August 1, 2015, Ronald T. Brown was moved to a new position within the UNT System and former Dallas Morning News Editor, Bob Mong, was instated as UNT Dallas' 3rd President.[1]

Demographics

As of Fall 2016, the student body is 40% Hispanic, 34% African-American, 17% Caucasian and 2% Asian. UNT Dallas faculty are 50% Caucasian, 25% African-American, 9% Hispanic and 7% Asian. [8]

Development

The campus developed by recruited senior faculty members, with the intention of being "a comprehensive metropolitan university."[9]

As growth slowed, and as the student body remain predominantly part-time, not rising above the initial 1,000 full-time equivalents, the management consultants Bain & Company were asked to develop a plan for development. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, their plan, proposed in 2012, calls for "a narrow set of career-focused majors in fields like business, information technology, and criminal justice, as well as for a year-round trimester calendar. It would de-emphasize research by faculty members so they could teach as many as 12 courses per year, and it would rely on heavy use of so-called hybrid courses, which would replace some face-to-face teaching with online instruction."[9]

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Former DMN editor picked to lead UNT Dallas".
  2. ↑ "Campus Statistics".
  3. ↑ http://www.untdallas.edu/marcom/ecom/dcolor
  4. ↑ http://web3.unt.edu/news/story.cfm?story=11459
  5. ↑ "UNT Dallas opening in Fall 2010", "University of North Texas News Service", May 9, 2008
  6. ↑ "U. of North Texas-Dallas Chief, a Champion of 'Disruptive Innovation,' to Leave in 2013". The Chronicle of Higher Education.
  7. ↑ "Ronald T. Brown Officially Named President of UNT Dallas".
  8. ↑ http://www.untdallas.edu/why/about/stats
  9. 1 2 Goldie Blumenstyk (April 29, 2012). "Business Advice Meets Academic Culture: At the U. of North Texas at Dallas, 'disruptive innovation' raises hopes and fears". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved June 12, 2012.

Coordinates: 32°39′31″N 96°48′14″W / 32.65861°N 96.80389°W / 32.65861; -96.80389 (UNT Dallas)

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/26/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.