The University of Texas at San Antonio and the Southwest School of Art (SSA) are taking steps to fold the independent art college into a new school inside the public university’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts, according to the San Antonio Report.
The UT System’s board of regents and SSA’s board are expected to hammer out terms and grant final approval by November, with UTSA taking control by next year’s fall semester, the online publication reports.
The deal reportedly will include nearly 7 acres of the SSA’s downtown properties, significantly growing UTSA’s downtown presence.
“These very special moments do not come one’s way often,” UTSA President Taylor Eighmy told the San Antonio Report. “With this new school, we can create something unique for San Antonio and our arts community that is expansive, interdisciplinary and commensurate with the very best schools of art in the country. I am grateful beyond measure that [SSA President Paula Owen] reached out last year to begin exploration of this very special opportunity with us.”
The proposed merger would mark the end of the SSA’s status as the state’s only independent college of art, according to the San Antonio Report. The downtown campus’ programs have served tens of thousands students over the years. The site also regularly host exhibitions and other events.
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This article appears in Aug 11-24, 2021.
