The Sombrilla Plaza is a gathering place for students wishing to study, organizations hoping to raise money and faculty grabbing a quick bite. The Sombrilla was built in the 1970s and has become an intergal part of UTSA. 

The word Sombrilla means umbrella in Spanish; however on rainy days, the Sombrilla has not lived up to its name.

During summer 2008, UTSA began repairs on the aging structure.

“We only had enough budget to complete half of the Sombrilla,” Kathryn Pearson, assistant director of institutonal projects, said.

Pearson hopes that the remainder of repairs will be conducted in summer 2010.

“We estimate the cost of repairs to be a couple of million dollars,” Pearson said.

Pearson says UTSA is willing to spend the money because the Sombrilla is a part of its history. “We are trying to keep as much of the original campus as possible,” Pearson said.

“We have seen some positive results; we haven’t noticed any leaking where the repairs were conducted,” Pearson said.