The Texas House of Representatives has proposed HB 2000 which, if passed, will grant UTRGV $70 million for a new health affairs building and millions for other Texas universities.
The proposed building is estimated to be 111,500 gross square feet, according to Legislative Media.
“Tuition revenue bonds, that’s an instrument that allows the construction for buildings,” said Curtis Smith, Rep. Terry Canales’ (D-Edinburg) chief of staff. “Those bonds are secured with the future revenue like tuition and fees of the students. So, we’re using the state’s low interest rate to invest in our universities.”
Smith said the public will know about the final decision by the end of May.
“Probably, more likely, mid-May,” he said. “If it’s not decided by the end of May, it’s not going to happen.”
Smith said the bill is important because of Texas’ population growth.
“This is a way for legislators to help fund construction,” he said. “Texas’ population is growing. The workforce needs are growing. Generally, the demand for higher education is growing. We have a lot of capacity issues at our college campuses, and that’s not just UTRGV, that’s all the universities and colleges. … I think from our perspective, it’s a good investment with a very low interest that pays off because it expands everything we’re able to do.”
He added different universities would have different buildings.
“Sometimes it does feel nice to be in a building that fits the needs of your class,” Smith said. “I think it’s a positive thing for our state to invest in our universities.”
In a statement to The Rider via email last Thursday night, Rep. Terry Canales said, “House Bill 2000 would authorize tuition revenue bonds, which will help UTRGV build and maintain facilities, provide for enrollment growth, and continue to offer top-notch programs from in-demand career fields. I am proud to co-author this legislation, and I hope to see the bill passed this legislative session.”
Veronica Gonzales, vice president for Governmental and Community Relations, said universities submit requests for financing buildings.
“It’s not that often that they [fund them],” Gonzales said.
UTRGV submitted its request last fall semester.
“I think the House very much supports the tuition revenue bonds (TRB),” she said. “But the Senate doesn’t seem to have an appetite for it.”
Gonzales said UTRGV is hoping to expand some current programs and add more.
“We have a lot of programs that are existing or coming online,” she said. “We have a pharmacy program, but we’re looking at, hopefully, one day having our pharmacy school. We got physical therapy coming, we have nursing and we’re expanding that, we’ve got social work, we got occupational therapy.”
Gonzales added there are a lot of health programs but the university is running out of space.
“As we grow in our student population, we want to be able to accommodate that growth by having the facilities necessary,” she said.
