TWU Moving
Closer to Building New Houston
Center Facility
2/28/03
DENTON -- Texas Woman's
University is one step closer
to building a new facility at
the Texas Medical Center in
Houston following a vote by the
Board of Regents Friday, Feb.
28. The project still requires
approval of the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board
Planning Committee and the
Coordinating Board itself.
The TWU Board of Regents voted
to give Chairperson and
Presiding Officer Linda
Loveless Hughes, M.D., the
authority to sign an agreement
with The Methodist Hospital. If
the agreement is approved by
the other entities, TWU will
exchange its land at Freeman
Boulevard and Bertner Street
for property owned by The
Methodist Hospital bordered by
Fannin Street, Main Street and
Old Main.
"The Regents were enthusiastic
about this opportunity from the
beginning," said Regent Hughes.
"It really is a win-win
situation for TWU, our students
and The Methodist Hospital."
"TWU has been a vital presence
at the Texas Medical Center for
more than 40 years and we will
continue to be in our new
facility," said Dr. Ann Stuart,
TWU chancellor and president.
"Our outstanding faculty,
programs and students deserve
such a facility. I look forward
to seeing this project through
to completion."
TWU opened its Houston campus
in 1960. More than 1,000
students are currently enrolled
in the Houston center, which
offers degree programs ranging
from bachelor's degrees to
doctoral degrees in nursing,
occupational therapy, physical
therapy, nutrition and health
care administration.
TWU has the largest nursing
program in the State of Texas
with more than 1,800 students
-- 600 at the Houston center.
"A new, state-of-the-art
facility would be wonderful,"
said Dr. Carolyn Gunning, Dean
of the College of Nursing at
TWU. "It would also allow us to
expand enrollment, which would
help alleviate the state's
nursing shortage."
Dr. Richard Wainerdi, president
and CEO of the Texas Medical
Center, invited Dr. Stuart and
Dr. Ron Girotto, president and
CEO of The Methodist Hospital,
to discuss the land exchange a
year ago. George Schrader of
Schrader & Cline Inc. of
Addison was engaged later by
the TWU Board of Regents to
handle negotiations and the law
firm of Jenkins & Gilchrist of
Dallas served as TWU's legal
counsel.
"TWU and The Methodist Hospital
always have had an exemplary
working relationship," said Mr.
Girotto. "I'm pleased we can
work together on this project
to benefit both institutions."
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