The future of higher education across San Antonio looks bright, said seven of the city’s top higher education leaders during a panel discussion on Thursday morning. 

Despite upheaval stemming from state and federal policies aimed at higher ed, the presidents said that they’re optimistic about what’s ahead for their institutions — and for San Antonio.

They’ve worked together to address the area’s college attainment rate, raising it to 42% over the last several years. That’s one example of the forward momentum they’re achieving by working together, instead of competing.

“We all stand for more access,” said Vanessa Beasley, president of Trinity University. “More education for more people is good, full stop, wherever you go to school. And all of us have programs where we are thinking differently about how we provide access and how we promote awareness of that access.” 

University leaders including presidents of public and private institutions speak about higher education during the San Antonio Report’s Presidents’ Panel on Thursday at the Witte Museum. Credit: Diego Medel / San Antonio Report

The panel, hosted by the San Antonio Report, gathered all of the city’s college presidents:

  • Hector Ochoa of Texas A&M San Antonio
  • Taylor Eighmy of the University of Texas at San Antonio
  • Abel Antonio Chávez of Our Lady of the Lake University
  • Vanessa Beasley of Trinity University
  • Winston Erevelles of St. Mary’s University
  • Tom Evans of University of the Incarnate Word
  • Mike Flores, chancellor of Alamo Colleges District

Editor in Chief Leigh Munsil asked the college presidents about their takes on big regional changes, such as the recent merger of UTSA and UT Health San Antonio into UT San Antonio and recent budget cuts.

The presidents said they’re preparing for a future where the city continues to grow — and they’re training the workforce needed to support it.

“Institutions and they are now measured in terms of the opportunity that we afford our students,” Eighmy said. “How quickly you graduate, how much debt you have upon graduation and the job that you land after graduation and how quickly you can pay off your debt.”

The San Antonio Report partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.