BOR accepts Bryan land gift for HSC expansion

(PRAIRIE VIEW, TX)—The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents today authorized acceptance of a gift of 200 acres of land on State Highway 47 in Bryan for expansion of the Texas A&M Health Science Center during its regular meeting on the campus of Prairie View A&M University. The land will be used to consolidate on a single campus the Bryan/College Station-based Health Science Center programs.

“On behalf of the Board of Regents, we are grateful to the City of Bryan and the Bryan Commerce and Development Corporation for having the vision to propose this gift of property that will allow for the needed expansion of our Health Science Center, while also promoting the development of a stronger health care community in Bryan and College Station,” said John D. White, chairman of the Board of Regents. “We look forward to moving forward on the campus development with our partners in the community.”

“As a career physician and administrator of health programs at the state level and in higher education, I am acutely aware of our state’s need to increase the number of highly qualified health professionals to serve our growing and diverse population,” said Dr. Michael D. McKinney, chancellor of the A&M System. “This action by the Board of Regents today will help the A&M System achieve one of its top priorities, which is to train the next generation of physicians, dentists and other health care professionals and to conduct life-saving research in the health care field.”

“The Health Science Center is pleased with the action taken today by the Board of Regents,” said Dr. Nancy W. Dickey, president of the Texas A&M Health Science Center and vice chancellor for health affairs for the A&M System. “Consolidating the Bryan/College Station components and programs of the Health Science Center on a campus that has space for extensive growth is a wonderful step in the maturation and expansion of the Health Science Center.”

The Health Science Center was formed in 1999 through consolidation of a majority of A&M System health-related programs. Since its inception, the Bryan-College Station components, the College of Medicine, the School of Rural Public Health and central administration, have been in diverse locations.

In January 2006, the Board of Regents approved the Health Science Center’s request to incrementally expand its College of Medicine class size from 80 to 200 students per class. With the planned expansion of the College of Medicine, the rapid growth of the School of Rural Public Health, the proposed development of a nursing program in the community, the development of clinical opportunities, and other potential programmatic developments, it was necessary to identify additional space to house the Health Science Center and its programs. The Health Science Center also has locations in Corpus Christi, Dallas, Houston, Kingsville, McAllen and Temple.

From the 200 acres, approximately 150 acres will be used as the Health Science Center campus and the other 50 acres to recruit public and private partnerships that will serve the mission and constituencies of the Health Science Center. The site is strategically located near major hospitals, clinics, the Texas A&M campus, and major transportation routes. It is large enough to accommodate the Health Science Center’s needs for years to come.

“The Texas A&M Health Science Center is poised for greatness as it embraces the 21st century,” Dr. Dickey added. “The Health Science Center is proud to be a part of the Bryan/College Station community. The new campus will enhance the visibility, accessibility and future growth of the Health Science Center and provide significant collaborative opportunities with both Texas A&M University and the surrounding community.”