Valeria Tokun Haga/THE RIDER
Following the success of the 10th UTRGV anniversary, the university plans to continue expanding academic programs, healthcare, research opportunities and resources for students, according to a university official.
UTRGV President Guy Bailey said the university has accomplished many of the goals it had 10 years ago, including improving graduation and retention rates, adding educational opportunities and meeting the criteria to become a Carnegie R1 university.
“We wanted to reach Carnegie R1 status,” Bailey said. “We haven’t announced this yet, but this summer we met the criteria to be a Carnegie 1 institution.”
An R1 Carnegie classification is the nation’s leading framework recognizing research for U.S. higher education, according to the Carnegie website.
Carnegie still needs to audit the university before the designation is announced, which could take about a year, Bailey said.
Sarah Chang, assistant professor for the School of Political Science, Public Affairs and Legal Studies said to strengthen research at UTRGV, it will require greater participation and effort from faculty and students.
Chang said the university needs, “to incorporate more student research and try to motivate faculty members to be more research productive and … find a way to engage more undergraduate students to be part of the research project with faculty members.”
She added faculty and staff should understand what students need, whether it be research prospects, graduate promotions or other forms of support.
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For the 2026-27 academic year, Bailey said UTRGV plans to continue developing new opportunities, including completing planning for the optometry program, which is expected to open in Fall 2027.
He also wants to move forward with a proposed doctoral program in biomedical science and engineering.
“If we can get those three things done, it would be a pretty great start,” Bailey said.
He added that the second phase of UTRGV is to expand healthcare in the Rio Grande Valley by opening a diabetes management center, cancer and surgery centers, and at some point, building a hospital.
“A hospital would be great for healthcare, but it’d be great for education, too,” Bailey said.
He added that a hospital will provide more clinical opportunities for students while increasing healthcare in the Valley as it is becoming increasingly hard to find clinical spots.
Chang said UTRGV has a lot of potential to grow within the next decade and would like to see greater collaboration between the Edinburg and Brownsville campuses.
Valeria Martines, bilingual education freshman, and Elizabeth Caldero, biology freshman, said the university should have more resources made available to students, such as more tutoring for difficult courses.
“Showing students that they care for us and they’re here … and many ways that they can always help us,” Martines said.
Bailey said one of the most important things is to help and work with students so that they stay in school and persist to graduate.
“Student success is more important than growth,” he said. “The best way to grow your enrollment is to keep the students you have.”
Integrated health science freshman Miranda Soto (from left), pre-nursing freshman Israel Ruiz and integrated health science freshman Alexander Piñon watch a presentation during the Vaquero Roundup Monday in the PlainsCapital Bank El Gran Salón on the Brownsville campus.
Valeria Tokun Haga/THE RIDER
In the next decade for UTRGV, Bailey said he expects the institution’s reputation to grow beyond just the Rio Grande Valley.
“You’re going to look at UTRGV as one of the top four or five best universities in the state,” he said.
Bailey added that he expects to see more students from outside the state and region to choose UTRGV due to the academic programs and reputation the institution is building.
