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on June 19, 2002, Ms. Irma Rangel, Texas State Representative of District 35 and Chair of the House Higher Education Committee, invited the CEOs of South Texas regional colleges and universities to participate in a dialogue to be held in the South Texas city of Falfurrias on August 21. Ms. Rangel’s goal was to elicit feedback and input from the region’s post-secondary educational leadership on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Educational Plan as delineated in the document, "Closing the Gaps."
Ms. Rangel extended the invitation to the CEOs whose institutions are in South Texas South as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in its plan.
The Mayor of Falfurrias and the Brooks County Judge were invited to give welcomes; no other elected official was present.
Ms. Rangel requested that the staff of The Cross Border Institute for Regional Development (CBIRD) at The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College assist in the development and facilitation of the one day dialogue. CBIRD’s staff provided support in the selection of a centrally located site, coordinated the logistics, attended to all protocols, and worked with Ms. Rangel’s staff to develop the dialogue’s agenda.
On August 1, 2002, Ms. Rangel requested confirmation of invitees’ attendance and set forth the specific goals for the Falfurrias Dialogue. The participants were asked to consider the following discussion items for the dialogue:
The identification of the key challenges that exist in South Texas concerning economics, education, workforce training capacity, infrastructure, health, transportation, housing and technology. How these challenges impact an institution’s ability to respond proactively to the goals and strategies that have been set for Closing the Gaps by 2015.
An interactive review of the current level of effort at each participating institution as it relates to Closing the Gaps benchmarks by 2015.
A determination of the opportunities that exist for South Texas colleges and universities to develop collaborative programs and partnerships that respond proactively to the strategies put forth in Closing the Gaps by 2015.
The identification of the emerging needs of South Texas colleges and universities for additional fiscal resources, expanded research, faculty, facilities, support services, instructional and training programs by 2015.
On August 21 the Falfurrias Dialogue began at 9:30 a.m. with the following South Texas CEOs in attendance:
Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa, President
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Ramon H. Dovalina, President
Laredo Community College
Dr. Robert R. Furgason, President,
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
Dr. Juliet V. Garcia, President
The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College. Dr. Rumuldo Juarez, President
Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Dr. Ray M. Keck, III, President
Texas A&M International University, Laredo Dr. Gilbert Leal, President
Texas State Technical College, Harlingen Dr. Joseph McCormick, Dean
The University of Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health at The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College. Dr. Kenneth McLeroy, Dean
The School of Rural Public Health at McAllen, Texas A&M University System. Dr. Miguel Nevarez, President
The University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg. Dr. Santiago Silva, Vice President
Student Services and Development representing Dr. Shirley Reed, President, South Texas Community College, McAllen. Dr. Gustavo R. Valadez Ortiz, President Del Mar College, Corpus Christi Dr. Leonel Vela, Dean The University of Texas Health Science Center’s Regional Academic Health Center at Harlingen.