More faculty offices coming soon

BY Monika Garza | THE RIDER

The university is constructing portable buildings in Brownsville to house new faculty in the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Construction began during the summer.

“We are quickly running out of space in the Brownsville campus, which is a good problem to have,” said Patrick Gonzales, associate vice president for University Marketing and Communications. “It means that we are growing.”

The portable buildings will be used temporarily during this year until the new Academic Building, which is under construction on the Brownsville campus, is completed.

“We have to place them in these portable buildings until we get the nice Academic Building completed next year,” Gonzales said.

The new building will consist of several science teaching labs, spaces for music instruction and recitals and areas designed for UTRGV students to study, as well as new faculty offices. The cost of the new Academic Building is expected to be $54 million.

UTRGV has not assigned the new portables to any professors or lecturers yet, according to Nina Gonzalez, program specialist for Faculty Affairs.

On the Edinburg campus, the Science Research Building is under construction. It will include classrooms, teaching labs and faculty and researcher offices. The estimated cost of this building is $70 million.