Editor\u2019s note: During the holiday season, the Fort Worth Report is following up on the stories you told us you appreciated the most in 2025.<\/p>\n
The University of Texas at Arlington is making progress toward the fall 2028 opening date of its new campus in Parker County.<\/p>\n
Tarrant County\u2019s largest four-year university announced its plans to expand in summer 2024. Since then, the school broke ground on UTA West, opened a physical office<\/a> in Willow Park and hired a vice president<\/a> to lead the effort.<\/p>\n The expansion comes as Fort Worth and Tarrant County colleges look to serve a growing population and develop a nationally competitive higher education hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n Now, the university is considering which academic programs to offer at the campus, said Wayne Atchley, vice president for regional campuses, who was hired by UTA to oversee the university\u2019s expansion.<\/p>\n Atchley said he is consulting with local leaders, chambers of commerce and economic development partnerships to determine what will support the area\u2019s long-term needs.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re basically looking at what program makes alliance best with the growth plans and trajectory of west Fort Worth and Parker County,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Atchley said the campus will definitely offer a program in a STEM field \u2014 science, technology, engineering and math \u2014 and is also considering a program in the health innovations field.\u00a0<\/p>\n Feedback received has indicated that nursing is a priority of the community, as are technical and career-focused programs in subjects such as business and construction.<\/p>\n In February, completed plans for the campus\u2019s first building will be presented to the University of Texas System Board of Regents for approval, allowing construction to begin in mid-to-late March.<\/p>\n The goal is to have the building substantially completed by April 2028 at the latest for the planned opening that fall, Atchley said.<\/p>\n Atchley met with leaders from Tarrant County College, Weatherford College and area school districts to discuss possible pipelines that would usher in students from those schools, and he will continue to do so in the new year.<\/p>\n \u201cI foresee in 2026 a lot of (memorandums of understanding) and agreements, or transfer articulation agreements going into place with our partners, so that students won\u2019t have ambiguity, that they\u2019ll know if I start at Weatherford and I do this pathway, that I\u2019m going to get into UTA West so that I can pick up with whatever academic program that flows into,\u201d he said.<\/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