University of Texas at San Antonio
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Strategic Plan: A Vision for UTSA

The Community-Based Research, Sustainable Partnerships and Advocacy Task Force will provide scholarly expertise and facilitate community-based research efforts to inform pressing policy issues affecting residents and business owners in the Westside. In collaboration with neighborhood residents and community leaders, UTSA faculty and organizational units such as UTSA’s Urban Education Institute, Policy Studies Center and Institute of Economic Development, the task force will develop a university-community partnership framework for engaging in research and incubating community partnerships that are relevant, reciprocal and sustainable. Another of the task force’s initial focus areas will be to increase understanding of the public policy issues most impacting Westside neighborhood integrity, including housing displacement, historical preservation, access to higher education and social service challenges.

Develop a university-community partnership framework that engages university faculty and aligns with Westside residents to incubate community partnerships that are relevant, reciprocal and sustainable.

Activities include:

Initiate a “listening tour” with the various community partners, organizations, resident associations and groups of youth and families so that a future direction for research, reciprocity and sustainability may be outlined in conjunction with Westside partners.

Identify grant funding opportunities for UTSA to collaborate with Westside leaders to conduct community-based research regarding needs identified by residents, youth and organizations. Some initial areas for community-based research may include:
Housing and housing-based experiences of vulnerable populations
Historic preservation
Youth and senior engagement
Business development
Arts/cultural heritage
Other issues affecting the health and wellbeing of Westside residents

Develop and pilot a community-based research grant program, which may include a seed grant that incentivizes community-based research and a community-based scholar-in-residence program.

Link: https://www.utsa.edu/strategicplan/initiatives/presidential/westside-community-partnerships/crspa/index.html

https://facilities.utsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/UTSA-2019-Energy_Water-Management-Plan.pdf

The University of Texas at San Antonio’s commitment to bolstering diversity is proactive and balanced. The University supports and values diversity in all forms in a teaching and learning community marked by mutual respect, inclusion, and cooperation. Diversity is reflected in the curriculum, in activities of the University, and in the composition of faculty, staff, and students. UTSA embraces the diversity and inclusion of all people regardless of their identity. These identities include, but are not limited to, ability, age, ethnicity, gender and expression, immigration status, intellectual differences, national origin, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation.

UTSA’s diversity and inclusion work is informed by the theory of Inclusive Excellence. The four main components of Inclusive Excellence and Leadership are access and equity; diversity in the formal and informal curriculum; campus climate; and student learning and development.

Access and Equity:
Ensuring the university welcomes historically underrepresented students, faculty, and staff and has the support systems in place to enhance their success.

Diversity in the Formal and Informal Curriculum:
Supporting diversity of content across academic disciplines, as well as the social dimensions of the campus.

Campus Climate:
Fostering a supportive environment that encourages all students to reach their full potential and strive for educational achievement.

Student Learning and Development:
Acquiring knowledge about diverse groups and developing cognitive complexity.

https://www.utsa.edu/strategicplan/initiatives/presidential/inclusiveexcellence/index.html
https://www.utsa.edu/inclusiveexcellence/programs/climatesurvey/

The U. T. System’s commitment to energy savings goals, reductions in carbon emissions, and sustainable design is evident in existing practices, and the institutions will continue to implement well-thought-out initiatives that increase efficiencies, reduce emissions, and promote sustainability practices that contribute meaningfully to the environment, while still achieving excellence in higher education. The U. T. System’s decisions and actions regarding sustainability practices will be guided by its mission statement and will be reflective of budgetary constraints and legal, regulatory, and programmatic requirements, while continuing to further the missions of the institutions.

For the purpose of this policy, sustainability is defined as meeting the needs of the present users without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This can be accomplished by seeking a balanced approach between the economic, social and environmental needs of the community and university operations. Understanding that sustainability can be viewed in a very broad context, this policy is initially directed towards the environmental and energy aspects as they relate to the UTSA community. Further evolutions of this policy may include the social and historical aspects that are often associated with broader sustainability efforts.