JULY 5, 2022 — The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) today announced that it has completed the final terms of its agreement to integrate the Southwest School of Art (SSA). The two schools announced their intent to combine programs in August 2021.
Moving forward, UTSA is committed to supporting the long-term continuity of high-quality arts education for the benefit of the entire San Antonio community—from youth to lifelong learners—and honoring and preserving the beauty and history of the SSA campus in the transition to the UTSA Southwest campus.
The site promotes education and enrichment and is located in proximity to other cultural and arts centers, including the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.
"We're grateful for the ongoing collaboration between both institutions, and we celebrate this final phase of integration so we can continue expanding meaningful arts programs for students and community members throughout San Antonio," said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy. “This partnership not only advances our mission to create more opportunities for student success, but also helps further establish San Antonio as the cultural heart of Texas."
Since June 1, UTSA has been actively supporting the SSA youth and adult community classes to ensure continuity through the final stages of the transition. SSA has been offering community art classes for more than 50 years; each year, these community outreach programs serve over 4,000 local students and another 5,000 youth in schools and social service agencies. The university is committed to continue offering these community programs, as well as exhibitions, lectures and events, including the Fiesta Arts Fair.
The UTSA-SSA integration also includes the creation of an expanded new UTSA school focused on advancing the arts that combines resources from both UTSA and SSA.
The new school, which will be organized under the UTSA College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA), will be named later this summer, and a national search is underway to find its founding director. By combining faculty and resources, the new school will offer expanded opportunities for current and prospective art students. All of SSA’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) students have been accepted into the UTSA BFA program for fall 2022.
“We are so excited to continue to cultivate a thriving arts community for the benefit of all San Antonians,” said Kimberly Andrews Espy, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “More broadly, with the combined faculty and staff expertise and resources of UTSA and SSA, this new school stands to become an exemplar for arts education with a deep local impact and a broad global reach.”
As part of the agreement, all SSA faculty and staff were offered employment at UTSA, and those who accepted their offer have now been welcomed to the university through the Bold New Journey employee orientation.
The university’s Talent Acquisition team worked closely with each employee to provide support through the transition process, conducting workshops and one-on-one meetings. Many employees will remain at the UTSA Southwest campus, while others will move to the Main Campus to support COLFA’s work in creating the new art school.
In the weeks ahead, new signage will be installed with the UTSA Southwest campus location name. As previously shared, the campus name and the name of the new merged school are separate and distinct matters.
Additionally, UTSA will begin work on a variety of infrastructure and facility projects, including enhancing internet capabilities. To support the safety of the campus community, parking lots will receive expanded security camera coverage, upgraded light fixtures and additional light poles. Also, select areas of parking lots will be resurfaced to improve accessibility. Each of these projects will follow UTSA’s standards, while also carefully considering the important historical features of the property.
“UTSA is honored to welcome the dedicated students, faculty and staff from SSA as our institutions formalize this partnership and move into the next phase of our journey together,” said Veronica Salazar, UTSA chief financial officer and senior vice president for business affairs. “The relationship between UTSA and SSA represents a strong and healthy partnership built upon our shared commitment to supporting student success and enhancing UTSA’s downtown impact as an exemplary urban-serving university of the future.”
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
This academically rigorous mathematics-based summer enrichment program prepares middle and high school students for advanced studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Participants learn about problem-solving systems, develop greater awareness of STEM careers and strengthen their research skills.
UTSA Main CampusArchaeology 101 will introduce campers to archaeology and build on learned skills through experimental activities (like cave painting, weaving, and garbology).
Center for Archaeological Research, UTSA Main CampusThe camp exposes rising high school juniors, rising seniors and incoming college freshman to the many facets of the criminal justice system. Students will have opportunities to learn the functions of police in society and apply scientific theories to criminal investigations by examining a mock crime scene.
UTSA Main CampusThe Academy for Teacher Excellence Research Center invites you to join us for the Summer Bridging Institute. This institute will focus on being lifelong growers and continually seeking to increase our skills as educators.
UTSA Downtown CampusArchaeology 201 will briefly go over the foundations of archaeology and related skills, followed by a different topic over the course of this week (like skeletal analysis, global cultures, and more).
Center for Archaeological Research, UTSA Main CampusCraft a comic to create your own narrative and find your voice through storytelling. Participants will learn to create characters that are self-reflective and through a community lens.
REGSS Community Room (DB 3.202,) UTSA Downtown CampusCome enjoy a discussion on art as a self expression in the age of moving technology and telling your story with a community.
REGSS Community Room (DB 3.202,) UTSA Downtown CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.