In 1881, a statewide voter referendum decided the location of the University of Texas: Austin for the main campus, Galveston for the medical school.
On Tuesday, 131 years later, the voters of Travis County decided that the main campus should have its own medical school. They approved a property tax increase that will generate $54 million a year in new revenue for health care projects, including $35 million for the Austin school.
For the university, this is a legacy moment, a milestone moment, said UT-Austin President Bill Powers, adding that the school would improve the communitys health, as well as its economy.
The passage of Proposition 1, 55 percent to 45 percent, is also a signature achievement for state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, who a little more than a year ago assumed leadership of a campaign for a medical school, a new teaching hospital, expanded indigent care and other initiatives.
Im very proud of the people here, Watson said. Theyre willing to invest in their future, to invest in their families. Its a very gratifying result.
Now comes the challenging work of establishing the sort of medical school UT officials want, with top-flight faculty members and a heavy dose of research, as well as constructing buildings for research, classrooms and a teaching hospital.
Steven Leslie, UTs executive vice president and provost, said efforts would begin immediately to form a steering committee, hire an inaugural dean and recruit faculty members.
It usually takes about three years for a school to gain accreditation, he said. UTs goal is to enroll the first class of about 50 students in 2015, although Leslie said it could be 2016.
Besides accreditation, UT also needs Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approval. Since all of the boards members are appointees of Gov. Rick Perry, that isnt expected to be a problem. Another set of Perry appointees the UT System Board of Regents voted unanimously in May to establish the school, contingent on the community coming up with $35 million a year to help fund it.
Although state medical schools in Texas receive local support in the form of bond money, free land and other assistance, this was the first time creating a school hinged on voter approval of higher taxes. That was the last piece of a funding pie that also includes millions from the UT Systems endowment and the Seton Healthcare Family, the areas largest hospital system.
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Prop. 1 victory presages work to make medical school, teaching hospital a reality