Brown University News Bureau

The Brown University News Bureau

1997-1998 index

Distributed May 29, 1998
Contact: Linda Mahdesian

University of Texas-San Antonio joins Leadership Alliance

The University of Texas-San Antonio has joined the Leadership Alliance. The Alliance voted to approve the Texas membership during its annual meeting, April 17-18, 1998, on the campuses of two member schools - the University of Maryland-Baltimore County and Morgan State University.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Leadership Alliance, based at Brown University, has welcomed the University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA) as the newest member of the 25-school consortium of colleges and universities. Alliance schools work together to address the national shortage of minorities in graduate school and faculty ranks. The vote took place during the Alliance's annual members' meeting, April 17-18, at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County and Morgan State University, two Alliance members.

"The future of the nation will become increasingly dependent on the education of minorities, particularly Hispanics, who will soon become the majority minority group," said UTSA President Samuel A. Kirkpatrick. "UTSA is excited to join with other members of the Leadership Alliance to expand access to higher education for all under-represented groups."

"The University of Texas-San Antonio is a growing institution that will add intellectual and people resources to the total of the Alliance, providing opportunities to under-represented students," said James H. Wyche, professor of medical science and associate provost of Brown, who serves as executive director of the Leadership Alliance.

The University of Texas-San Antonio

Established in 1969, UTSA is a state-supported institution enrolling more than 17,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Among UTSA's top five strategic directions is to "become a national center of excellence for the education of Hispanics at the master's and doctoral level ... [and to] assume leadership in research on Hispanic issues."

Currently, Hispanic students account for 41 percent of UTSA's enrollment. Together, all minorities make up 49 percent of the total enrollment. In the fall of 1998, UTSA is expected to have a majority minority enrollment. UTSA has more minority students majoring in sciences than any other institution in the University of Texas system. As of 1997, UTSA leads the nation in the number of undergraduate degrees in the biological sciences awarded to Hispanics, according to an annual ranking of colleges and universities published in the Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education. The school ranks third in the country in the number of black students graduating with degrees in education. And based on statistics compiled by the National Center for Education Studies, the university ranks seventh in the overall number of undergraduate degrees conferred to Hispanics and 21st in the number of master's degrees awarded. The number of minority faculty at UTSA has increased 41 percent since 1993 and now constitutes 27 percent of the faculty.

The Leadership Alliance

The Leadership Alliance, founded in 1992, is the premier coalition in the nation addressing the shortage of under-represented minorities in graduate school and the professoriate. The Alliance seeks to develop a generation of outstanding minority leaders and role models not only in higher education, but in the private sector as well.

The consortium consists all of the Ivy League schools, 10 historically black colleges and universities, and the University of Puerto Rico system. In addition, the Alliance is affiliated with Montana State University and the seven tribal colleges in Montana through The American Indian Research Opportunities program, based at Montana State. Among the Alliance's Programs:

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