Advancing social mobility and opportunities for Latino students
The University of Texas at San Antonio has established the Hispanic Thriving Institution (HTI) Leadership Council to guide the university’s work in becoming a Hispanic Thriving Institution. UTSA was founded in 1969 to serve San Antonio’s culturally rich, predominantly Mexican American population, and was one of the first U.S. universities to receive the Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) designation, established by the federal government in 1994. UTSA aspires to become a Hispanic Thriving Institution—a model HSI that provides the highest quality education to advance social mobility and economic opportunities for Latino students and their communities. The HTI Leadership Council, comprised of faculty, staff and students, advises the President about how the university’s Hispanic Thriving efforts can be incorporated more deeply across its mission, three strategic destinations and strategic plan. Focus areas include advancing Latino enrollment, retention, transfer in, degree completion, financial support and the diversity of the university’s administration, faculty, staff and students. The HTI Leadership Council reports to the President and is led and supported by the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs.
In many ways, UTSA is the research university of the future, set in the city of the future, and it has the responsibility and the capacity to lead in this space. This important work is critical to producing Latino thought leaders who can propel San Antonio’s 21st century economy forward and advance social mobility and economic opportunity in our communities.
Council
- Myron Anderson, Vice President for Inclusive Excellence
- Greg Cortez, Assistant Vice President for Advancement Information and Strategic Analytics – Advancement and Alumni Engagement
- Roger Enriquez, Associate Professor, Criminal Justice; and Executive Director, Westside Community Partnerships – University Relations
- Claudia Garcia-Louis, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies; College of Education and Human Development
- Rosa Garza Girdy, Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Studies, Alvarez College of Business
- Jerry Gonzalez, Associate Professor, History, College of Liberal & Fine Arts
- Juan Gutiérrez, Professor, Math, College of Sciences; Department Chairs Council representative
- Dean Hendrix, Dean, Libraries
- James Hernandez, SGA representative
- Melissa Hernandez, Interim Associate Dean of Students - Wellbeing, division of Student Affairs, Academic Affairs
- José Iovino, Professor, Math, College of Sciences
- Rafael Lopez-Mobilia, Sr. Lecturer, Physics & Astronomy, College of Sciences; Provost’s At-Large Faculty Representative
- Carlos Martinez, Sr. Vice President Institutional Strategic Planning, Compliance Risk Management, and Office Operations & Chief of Staff – President’s Office
- Ambika Mathur, Vice Provost, Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and Dean of the Graduate School
- Arturo Montoya, Associate Professor, Civil Engineering, Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design
- Lucinda Nevarez, Associate Professor, Social Work, College for Health, Community & Policy
- Debra Pena, Direction & Senior Lecturer, Writing Program, University College
- Amanda Perez, Assistant Director, Student Activities, Staff Senate representative
- Marcela Ramirez, Associate Vice Provost for Teaching, Learning & Digital Transformation, division of Academic Innovation, Academic Affairs
- Veronica Salazar, CFO & Sr. Vice President Business Affairs
- Al Salgado, Assistant Vice President Small Business & Commercial Development - REDKE
- Vanessa Sansone, Assistant Professor., Educational Leadership, College of Education & Human Development; Provost’s At-large Faculty Representative
- John Phillip Santos, Distinguished Sr. Lecturer, Honors College
- Heather Shipley, Dean, University College and Sr. Vice Provost of Academic Affairs
- Pamela Smith, Associate Dean of Administration and Faculty, Alvarez College of Business
- Jorge Solis, Associate Professor, Bicultural-Bilingual Studies, College of Education and Human Development
- Mario Vela, Assistant Vice Provost for Career-Engaged Learning and Executive Director of the University Career Center, division of Academic Success, Academic Affairs
- Steve Wilkerson, Associate Vice Provost & Chief Analytics Officer
- Tammy Wyatt, Vice Provost, Student Success, division of Student Success, Academic Affairs
- Rene Zenteno, Professor, Demography, College for Health, Community & Policy; Faculty Senate representative
- Kimberly Andrews Espy, Provost & Sr. Vice President of Academic Affairs
