Published: May 21, 2008 11:36 am            

School of Nursing

Regents approve Texas State plans for Round Rock campus

The Texas State University System Board of Regents has approved a degree program in nursing and the creation of a School of Nursing for Texas State University.

The move brings the state’s newest nursing education program one step closer to reality. It must now gain the approval of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Texas State plans to admit the first class of students to the School of Nursing at the Round Rock Higher Education Center in the fall of 2010.

Texas State officials say they will apply for approval of the school with the Texas Board of Nursing concurrently with that of the coordinating board.

“We are very pleased that the regents approved our nursing program proposal,” said Texas State President Denise M. Trauth. “This program will allow Texas State to educate nurses to help fill a critical workforce need in the state.”

The proposed bachelor of science in nursing program will require 130 semester credit hours, which includes 47 hours of general education core courses, 18 hours of required courses and 65 hours of nursing courses.

In addition to extensive practice and simulation laboratory training, clinical experience will be provided in a variety of settings, including hospitals, ambulatory centers and clinics, residential programs, public schools and other healthcare environments.

Start-up funding for the program has been provided by the Texas Legislature and through a gift of $6 million from the St. David’s Community Health Foundation. Scott and White Medical Center and the Central Texas Medical Center have also made gifts in support of the nursing program.

Meeting on the Texas State campus on Thursday and Friday, the TSUS Board of Regents also authorized Texas State to offer a new bachelor of science degree program with a major in concrete industry management.

The $200 billion concrete industry employs more than 500,000 people in a variety of careers. The goal of the program will be to produce graduates grounded in basic construction management who are able to manage people and systems to promote products and devices related to the concrete industry.

The degree program will be housed in the Department of Technology. It will be submitted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for approval.

The regents also approved Texas State’s efforts to move to the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision once an NCAA-imposed moratorium on changing divisions is lifted. Texas State currently competes at the Football Championship Subdivision and wants to move to the higher FBS status within five years of the fall 2008 semester.

The change in divisions was recommended by the Athletic Strategic Planning Committee appointed by Texas State President Denise Trauth. In the spring, Texas State students overwhelmingly supported a referendum calling for higher student fees for athletics to help finance such a move.

The regents also authorized naming the Academic Advising Center in the university’s proposed Undergraduate Academic Center The Minifie Academic Advising Center, in recognition of a gift from Dr. Elsie Minifie.

Minifie has agreed to provide a $500,000 irrevocable deferred gift to support student merit scholarships. Until the deferred gift is realized, she will provide annual gifts of $25,000 to fund two $12,500 scholarships per year. She has made previous gifts of approximately $125,000 to the Emmett and Miriam McCoy College of Business Administration at Texas State.

The Texas State University System’s Board of Regents consists of 10 members, including one student. The administration, which is headed by a board-appointed Chancellor, is based in Austin where it provides support to the system components and state government.

Texas State University-San Marcos is a member of the Texas State University System

        

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