Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Aspiring students flood campus on UTSA Day

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The campus was bustling with intrigue this past Saturday, Oct. 18, because UTSA Day was in full-swing. UTSA Day’s open house gave prospective UTSA students an opportunity to view the campus and catch a glimpse of UTSA life. COLFA, The Honors College and a number of other organizations spoke to potential roadrunners.

“The campus is a lot nicer than I thought it would be,” said high school senior Courtney Holmes.

“It’s a really pretty campus. There’s a lot of lively people around; everyone seems excited,” Holmes’ brother Matthew observed.

UTSA received the motherly seal of approval from Beverly Holmes. “We were very surprised by the campus; we didn’t expect it to be this nice,” said Beverly.

Many of the 2,500 students and parents in attendance approved of UTSA’s campus as well. “We love that it is its own community,” parents Allen and Cora Jacobs noted. “We’re very impressed,” they continued.

The term “Tier One” was used a lot during the day as speakers and tour guides emphasized UTSA’s aspirations to grow as an institution for higher learning.

What exactly does Tier One mean? In order to be considered a Tier One school, a university must meet a number of standards: spend more than $100 million annually on research, award a minimum of 100 doctorate degrees a year, receive official recognition from national organizations (like the Association of American Universities or from publications like U.S. News and World Report), and have faculty members who are Nobel prize winners or are members of the National Academies. Texas has requirements of their own that, if met, result in grants.

“We’ve definitely been emphasizing that we’re an up-and-coming university – both athletically and academically,” senior tour guide Ellie said. “We’re on our way to becoming a Tier One university, so we’re definitely wanting to relay that to all the people coming in.”

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