   |
 |
West Texans Help Oklahoma Victims
Senate Approves Medical School for Valley 3/14/13
Associated Press
3/14/13
AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Senate has approved a proposal to bring a new
medical school to the Rio Grande Valley, where doctors are in short supply.
In a 30-1 vote on Wednesday, lawmakers advanced a bill to combine University
of Texas campuses in Edinburg and Brownsville with a Harlingen health center
currently operated by the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio.
The Texas House is expected to consider the proposal next week.
Senator Juan Hinojosa said the plan could transform the impoverished region
with access to the state's Permanent University Fund, the endowment that manages
billions of dollars to support higher education. UT regents have already pledged
$100 million to the project.
The new university is projected to enroll 28,000 students, employ 7,000
people and generate $11 million in research expenditures.