Contact: Monty Jones, (512) 499-4363

Date: July 2, 1998

UT System News Release

Site Proposal Received for Valley Health Center

AUSTIN - The final phase began Thursday (July 2) in the process for selecting a site for a regional academic health center in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

One response to an official request from The University of Texas System for site proposals was received and was opened late Thursday. The proposal is from the Lower Rio Grande Valley Academic Health Center Foundation Inc.

The U.T. System Board of Regents is expected to make a final decision on a site for the RAHC at its regular meeting in Austin on August 13.

Before that meeting, the site proposal will be evaluated by Kaludis Consulting Group, a consultant engaged by the U.T. System. It also will be evaluated by U.T. System officials and an advisory committee.

"The U.T. System Administration and the members of the advisory committee would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has participated in the process and worked so hard to ensure that the new RAHC will be a success," said Dr. Charles B. Mullins, U.T. System executive vice chancellor for health affairs.

The consultant and U.T. officials said they would make no comments about the proposal except in their official reports to the regents leading to the August decision.

The 75th Legislature authorized the U.T. System to operate the new center in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, but left the actual site selection up to the Board of Regents.