T HE U NIV E R SIT Y O F T EX AS AT E L PASO

To: Dr. Heather Wilson

Through: Dr. Paul Vierra
From: Jacob Ramirez
Date: February 5, 2020
Re: UTEP Strategic Plan 2030

UTEP’s vision to becoming “University of the Americas” is a great way to ensure further the
universities goals of access and excellence. Bringing Latin American Students into UTEP is the only
way to achieve this goal.
Latin American universities lack of resources and funding, according to an article written by William
Adrian “Latin American universities that are located in developing countries are struggling to fund the
resources needed for a higher education.” UTEP would be able to help these students tremendously by
already having an established receiving funds and resources specific for student’s development. Being
able to educate more minority students in the U.S is also important. There has been much literature that
confirms education’s importance to economic growth. Being able to grow the Universities enrollment
rate and education to not just Latin American students, but local students not just from El Paso, our
sister city Juarez as well. According to an article written by Katarina R. I. Keller and published by
Contemporary Economic Policy in July 18, 2008 the more money invested in higher education has
shown a spill over in Economic growth. This is because people will be able to receive the resources for
student success and higher education, and this opens the door to be able to add more jobs thus,
strengthening the economy. For the 2030 plan is focusing on this particular goal would be challenging
however UTEP being a border school with Hispanic roots bringing in more students from Latin America
will be easier. To entice students from Latin America we must understand the issues they face and help
provide solutions to encourage them to come
Latin American students who are pursuit for higher education in the United States face
 language barriers
o Since El Paso is border city where 82% of its population is Hispanic, and 70% of its
population speaks Spanish which will cause no language barriers. El Paso is both heavily
influenced by American and Mexican culture, since it is a border city with its
neighboring sister city of Juarez, Mexico.
 lack culture acceptance
o Heavily influenced by Mexican culture El Paso would be more accepting to Latin
American cultures
El Paso and UTEP being able to bring more students from other countries will make the region rich in
culture diversity. Doing so can also help bring the university grant funds from Latin American
governments. UTEP being a tier 1 university can expand research areas that can better the whole
Americas. The research could bring more fields of study to the university and more programs.
States must make higher education equal to all its residents by lower tuition costs and making it
affordable to those minorities. UTEP has affordable tuition cost in comparison to other universities in
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the United States this would make it easier to afford for minority students around the U.S and Latin
American students as well.cc:Copy to
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Enclosures: Adrian, W. The tuition dilemma in the Latin American University. Int Rev Educ 29, 449–464
(1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00616006
Appiah, E. N., and W. W. McMahon. The Social Outcomes of Education and Feedbacks on Growth in
Africa. Journal of Development Studies, 38(4), 2002, 27 – 68.