IMO, Berkeley’s level of prestige is unreachable within a generation or even several, most likely, @BlueBayouAZ, but I (and nearly everyone who is in CA) have UCSD above UCSB in the pecking order of UCs and UTD is well on its way to becoming the UCSD of TX.
I think it is going to be interesting to see if the UT system really moves toward the UC way of doing things.
It seems like the UT system has done a much better job of growing their non-Austin campuses in comparison to the TAMU system. Though what schools went into each system and where they are located is a factor in their growth. But ultimately the UT system capped the growth in Austin years ago. TAMU has allowed the college station campus to continue to grow (though it is suspected this year’s incoming freshman class will be smaller) and their system schools don’t seem to be destination schools like UTD, UTA and UTSA arguably are.
I wish Texas would develop their systems of schools similar to California but I don’t think it will happen because of the way the money has to be split with the vast majority going to UT Austin. UTD was very fortunate that they had some big money donors with Mrs. McDermott and the Mrs. O’Donnell. To develop these schools, many other entities need to get involved including more from the business sector. I think Dallas realizes that now after the Amazon discussions.
I don’t have a clear understanding on how the PUF monies are split once inside each University system @GTAustin - I know that 2/3 goes to UT system schools and 1/3 goes to TAMU system schools. But that is where my knowledge ends. I would think UT could spend its money however it likes - but nothing is that simple.
In 2017, UT Austin got half of what was allocated to the UT systems.
/www.texastribune.org/2017/08/21/ut-system-oil-money-gusher-its-administration-and-trickle-students/
The other 14 UT entities, which include UT schools and health science centers, split the other half.
Mrs. McDermott gave UTD $154 million since 1990. It would not be the same school without her.
https://utdallas.edu/mcdermottlegacy/
I certainly have seen the tremendous growth at UTD. My wife graduated there and got her masters there as well. Did a quick look at the proposals and as much as it’s not UTD’s responsibility as such, what I think is really needed is a way to give these students that quintessential ‘college experience’. Eventually, maybe, they find a sport or sports to drive campus enthusiasm, (many applicants have stated that to be a concern with UTD), but like UTSA, which we recently visited, there is nothing to do/eat/hangout, after the school cafes close. There’s no strip or drag to get pizza, wings, watch sports, drink, sing karaoke whatever, without hoping in a car and leaving campus. There’s a weekend exodus. They need to entice restaurants, clubs and bars on Waterview Valley. Nearly half the population are 21 years old. JMHO.
When I first learned about UTD’s undergraduate school last year (in my defense I was out of the state for 16 years beginning in 1997) I was kind of taken back by the 30+ million dollar campus facelift funded by Mrs. McDermott. I thought that sounded like a waste of money.
But now that I am a UTD fan - I see why it was absolutely necessary if UTD is going to move forward and grow how it needs to. I get so tired of people judging the school and campus environment based on knowledge that pre-dates thousands of students living on campus. A university without student housing is completely different that one where students live on campus.
@TXDad56, actually at UTD there is. Northside. which is across the street, has student apartments as well as retail on the ground floor. There are numerous restaurants, a sports bar, a mini mart, bubble tea. They need more but it is growing.
As far as school spirit gained thru a sports program, it depends on how well your teams are doing and which team. When UT football was not doing well, the student section was empty. The coach was pleading with the students to attend. Meanwhile, UT has one of the best swim teams in the country and nobody goes to their meets.
Agreed. UTSA has a lot of on campus and just off campus housing. Why they haven’t built a strip mall along 1604 is beyond me. Eventually they will need to pt their football stadium on campus. I don’t see UTD going that far, but they have to build up Waterview Valley.
I haven’t driven past Northside recently but a quick Google map view and yes, that’s a good start. Agreed. I don’t like that it’s literally a mile from the majority of the housing in the SouthWest quadrant. Let’s hope they can add things down there too.
Unfortunately, the south side of campus is going to be developed for athletic/recreation. Northside is closest to the dorms and they do have buses and golf carts that haul the students around.
I personally don’t think it would be wise for UTD to spend much money on sports, where, IMO, you either have to go big (that is, spend hundreds of millions) or go home. Does competing with the North Texases of the country in athletics really gain UTD anything?
Again, I would use UCSD as an example. They spent most of their existence as a DivIII school, are currently in DivII and will move up to DivIII and the Big West soon, but without really drawing any students with sports (they still don’t have a football team), they have become a powerhouse in pretty much all STEM fields and are certainly in the top tier when it comes to CS grad success when measured by percentage that work at the top tech companies as well as in international rankings that rank by faculty research (which should matter for both UTD and UCSD as full-pay OOS Internationals are a profit center).
I agree @PurpleTitan. UTD needs to continue to develop on their own path without the emphasis on sports. That will be a deciding factor for some students not to attend but that is OK. There are lots of schools that have the big sports and gives them many options. For many students, not having the emphasis on sports is refreshing and UTD creates a place for them.
I don’t think they have to focus on the big 3 sports. I could see them building on Soccer, Tennis, Lacrosse, etc. They could and probably will succeed mostly as an academic school. that’s great. Nothing wrong with that. But 17/18 year olds, when making college decisions, look for more than just academics. They will still consider that college experience when making their decisions.
^ Sure, but as @GTAustin said, not all kids are looking for sports in their college experience and some even see an emphasis on sports as a turn-off.
Money is a finite resource for a school like UTD and I think it’s smarter for the school to spend money on cultural and educational perks like they’re doing for the honors and even non-honors students (like the free tickets to the symphony, opera, etc.) or on faculty research, which would enhance UTD’s international reputation (and do more good for this country and the world than more robust athletics would).
And they should consider that college experience. The question is what college experience do they want. Where we live, the HS football team has won 6 state championships. My daughter did not go to one game. She had no desire to go to a college game. She wanted a large urban environment that had music, culture, museums. She wanted to travel abroad. She has participated in club sports, in clubs, in research. She hosts parties, she goes to Greek events, she is very active on the campus. She is always busy doing something and much of it is not academics. That is her desired college experience.
And my daughter sounds very similar to @GTAustin 's. She attends a large 6a high school, it’s only been around a few years but made as serious football playoff run this year - and other sports have gone to state. But my daughter has never been to a game - even with her younger sister as a cheerleader at the same high school. I think there are plenty of students that don’t care about the big sports experience. Sure that is going to be a deal breaker for some students - but the the population growth in Texas seems to be allowing UTD to grow without needing D1 sports.
To be clear, I didn’t say D1. There’s a reason there’s not many UCSDs colleges (which are actually headed to Div 1 now). It can be done and it may be the best strategy for UTD. My main point was that young people 18-24 want more than Libraries and Museums. And the ‘experience’ is more than sports. That is just a suggestion among others. Just putting more Dorms on campus by itself, won’t change it’s ‘commuter’ feel either, see UTSA. No reason to have holes in your net, when you’re fishing for the brightest minds, who are more than just bright minds.
But resources are finite and UTD actually attracts some of the brightest minds. Their stats are in line with UT Austin and better than A&M. They attracts these students by merit scholarships, research opportunites, travel abroad, leadership positions, good outcomes, and a stimulating environment. My daughter doesn’t watch, she does and she is much more than just an academic nerd. She is an athlete, leader, traveler, volunteer, artist and partys. She turned down UT Austin CS for these opportunites at UTD.
I read UT Austin’s reddit as well and there are complaints there as well. Kids can’t make friends.They are living hand to mouth working 40 hours /week to afford school and living. The stores on the drag are constantly closing. Nowhere to park. Commute times ridiculous. West campus is dangerous. No place is perfect but nobody blames UT because it is a “cool” school. UTD does not get that pass.