Revenue from tuition is expected to drop by between $13 million and $15.6 million this fiscal year due to enrollment challenges.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cowley said the university instituted a temporary hiring pause<\/a> to save money and is thinking of new ways to provide the school with resources.\u00a0<\/p>\n A silver lining can be found in the university\u2019s history of handling previous challenges through a collective dedication to its students, academic success and the community, she said.<\/p>\n Academics and student support initiatives<\/p>\n Cowley spotlighted Blaze Forward, a financial aid program that covers tuition and fees for students with need.\u00a0<\/p>\n This semester, students from families with an income of $100,000 or less are eligible. Previously, the threshold was $85,000. As a result, the percentage of undergraduate students in the program reached 60%, UTA spokesperson Joe Carpenter said.\u00a0<\/p>\n In fall 2024, 47.5% of undergraduate students received Pell Grants, a form of federal financial aid for low income students.<\/p>\n UTA\u2019s freshman class reached 5,100 this fall, the largest in the history of the school.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, even more Texas residents, regardless of financial background, can experience the transformative power of a UTA education,\u201d Cowley said.<\/p>\n Cowley also brought attention to two new hospitality management bachelor\u2019s degrees as well as philanthropy and space system minors that launched this fall.<\/p>\n Once it receives final approval from the state, UTA plans to begin offering a doctorate of social work to address a social worker shortage, she said.<\/p>\n Research<\/p>\n The university tripled the number of research opportunities available to undergraduates last year, Cowley said.\u00a0<\/p>\n UTA is an R1 research designate<\/a> from the Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education recognizing the highest level of research activity. Cowley highlighted that UTA is one of 21 R1 schools to also be recognized for student access and the competitive wages its graduates earn.<\/p>\n She mentioned the school\u2019s plans to cut the ribbon on a new drone facility Sept. 16. The Maverick Autonomous Vehicle Research Center at the UTA Research Institute is a $2.3 million netted outdoor area intended to elevate research.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOur engineers can test in all weather conditions, meeting rigorous FAA standards to develop systems that can maintain performance in the most extreme environments Texas can deliver,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Cowley also highlighted the $2.1 million supercomputing hub the university introduced in July. The facility increases UTA\u2019s ability to conduct data-intensive research, including projects driven by artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a collaboration as it should be, with teams from the Office of Information Technology, Engineering<\/a>, and Research and Innovation<\/a> working together so our students and researchers can address bigger questions, handle bigger data, and do it faster than we\u2019ve ever been able to do before,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Growth and improvements<\/p>\n Cowley addressed UTA\u2019s planned expansion and campus upgrade projects in her speech, including the groundbreaking of UTA West in April<\/a> and $126 million in funding from the UT System for campus improvements.<\/p>\n On Sept. 8, the university held a ribbon cutting for Maverick Hall, the campus\u2019s largest residence hall with capacity for 650 students.\u00a0<\/p>\n Renovations to the Life Sciences building are expected to be finished in fall 2027.<\/p>\n \u201cThis university is always moving forward,\u201d she said. \u201cSometimes it feels like the soundtrack of UTA is jackhammers and cement trucks, but that\u2019s just the sound of a university on the rise.\u201d<\/p>\n McKinnon Rice is the higher education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at mckinnon.rice@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Fort Worth Report partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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