UNT to purchase Universities Center

Although its main campus will remain in Denton, the University of North Texas has set its sights on the Universities Center in downtown Dallas, and won't go down without a fight.

And that is good news for Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Already a part of the center, along with five other universities in Texas, the UNT system is attempting to purchase the Universities Center of Dallas.

Of the five other schools within the UCD, A&M-Commerce is among them, offering academic programs to accommodate students who may not be able to commute to Commerce due to a daytime job or other extenuating circumstances.

A&M-Commerce offers the most academic programs at the center with seven.

"A&M-Commerce has been committed to academic progress since the UCD's inception in 1994, and I believe that any time any of our member institutions show interest in our center, it leads to positive changes and growth," Dr. Berri O'Neal, interim director of the UCD said.

If the UNT system is approved to buy the UCD, citizens of Dallas, as well as the surrounding cities, have voiced that they are delighted at the prospect of the many new educational opportunities the shift in ownership will bring. O'Neal believes this will provide positive results for students taking classes there through all of the schools involved, A&M-Commerce included.

"The UCD has the potential to continue to grow in student enrollment. It is evident that these centers see more growth and expansion as the member institutions invest more resources into them. The fact that UNT system sees potential in contributing more to the UCD in future years is an exciting step for us," O'Neal said.

Plans the UNT system harbor for the UCD include boosts in enrollment and an expansion in the courses offered at the facility. University officials would also like to instill upper-level classes in art, culinary arts, business, and fashion into the school.

For students who currently attend A&M-Commerce and commute on a daily basis in order to take some of these higher level classes, being able to take them closer to home at a more convenient time will do nothing but lessen their hardships.

"I've always wanted to take some of my classes closer to home, but they are only offered on the main campus so I have to drive the hour back and forth every day. If they offered more classes at the UCD, I might be able to take some there, as well as save my money and gas in the process," Lacey Pierson, junior math major said.

Any purchase of the UCD will not greatly affect the main campus for A&M-Commerce directly because the Federation of North Texas Area Universities will still govern and operate the center. Even so, there will still be some impact since A&M-Commerce is a part of that federation.

"Often, when a change needs to occur in the building, because of the complicated composition of the federation and the ownership of the building, there are often several steps that must occur to reach approval for anything. I believe that if UNT purchases the building, it will remove some of these steps and will simplify the process because we will be able to make the decision directly without going through so many steps," O'Neal said.

If the UNT system does gain ownership of the UCD, it will not change the governance or operation of the center. Decisions will still be left up to the federation of the three main schools within it, which includes UNT, A&M-Commerce and Texas Women's University. The presidents and other administrators within these schools will all have equal say on any major changes that UNT is hoping to bestow upon its new property.

Funding for the center will also not be affected in any way if UNT becomes the new owners of the UCD. Students wanting to take courses through A&M-Commerce at the center will still be required to pay the same fees for the classes they decide to take.

"Funding for the UCD is received in two ways--through state appropriations and through a portion of tuition and fees from each institution for the students who attend classes at the UCD. This will not change in any way," O'Neal said.

Currently, the decision on whether or not UNT will be approved to buy the UCD is still in limbo.

"Negotiations are pending between the University of North Texas and the DCCCD regarding the purchase of the building, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is reviewing the proposal of the purchase to determine their decision," O'Neal said