MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 2024

A dream without a plan is just a wish. Thanks to action taken today by the University of Texas System Board of Regents, we are significantly closer to achieving a major dream for The University of Texas at Arlington.

We plan to purchase land to establish a new campus, UTA West, that will bring all the benefits of a top-tier research university and the nation’s best public university system to west Fort Worth within the eastern edge of Parker County.

Advantageously positioned at the intersection of I-30 and I-20 at the western gateway to Fort Worth, the new campus is located just 14 miles from downtown. It sits atop more than 50 acres of rolling hills dotted with wildflowers and live oaks, with a small lake that inspired us to plan a waterfront park. If you’re lucky and visit at the right time, you can sometimes see a sea of bluebonnets.

Location matters in higher education. UTA’s success in Arlington is in part attributable to being in the heart of the DFW metroplex, which now and in the coming decades is rapidly growing westward.

So let’s take a look to the west. Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and Parker County one of the fastest-growing counties. It’s not just Mavericks moving there. It seems like everyone is moving there.

As key industries move in, students in this part of our region need a UTA education to prepare for the career opportunities that await. Our curriculum at UTA West will prioritize fields that align with the growth of this region. And as the region grows, UTA will grow alongside it, bringing key academic programs that support its economic and educational needs.

The western part of the metroplex has the population, student talent, and economic need for a top-tier research university. UTA West will be the hometown university this part of our region deserves.

Our focus remains the same: to make our world-class education accessible where and when our students need it. UTA West is an innovative piece of our capital plan, right alongside the key investments in facilities necessary to support current and future students on our Arlington campus. This includes the expansion and renovation of our Life Sciences building, a reinvention of the University Center, and the construction of Maverick Hall and the Greek Life Center.

There is so much more exciting news to come as we follow our plan to make this dream happen: groundbreakings, construction timelines, ribbon-cuttings. Each of our vice presidents is leading conversations about how collectively we will contribute to the success of our new campus. UTA West will meet today’s needs but also tomorrow’s—and not just for the region but for our University as well.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Cowley, Ph.D.
UTA President