This email from Heather Shipley, PhD, provost and senior executive vice president for Academic Affairs and Andrea Marks, MBA, CPA, senior executive vice president and chief operating officer, was sent to the students, faculty and staff of the academic campus.
This week, registration opens for the fall 2026 term. As students begin enrolling for classes and we look ahead to the fall semester, we are excited to share an update about the university’s downtown growth and district planning efforts.
District planning is a multi-year process aimed at creating a roadmap for strategic campus growth. Last fall, we shared the district planning report, which outlines key college moves and updates designed to support UT San Antonio’s Downtown, Main and Park West campuses.
This fall, you can expect to see many exciting changes. We continue to build on our momentum downtown, while also looking to advance future opportunities at the Main Campus. With fall planning on the horizon, we want to share more about our progress, priorities and what comes next as we work collaboratively to ensure our community has the support necessary for success.
College relocations
A central aspect of district planning is identifying strategic ways to align physical spaces, academic programs, research capacity and the campus experience to support UT San Antonio’s long‑term academic and research growth. As part of this effort, several colleges and programs will relocate:
- As previously announced, the new College of AI, Cyber and Computing (CAICC) will be located downtown.
- Programs within the College of Education and Human Development (COEHD) are moving downtown.
- Undergraduate programs in Criminology & Criminal Justice, Public Administration and Social Work from the College for Health, Community and Policy (HCAP) are moving to the Main Campus. HCAP will provide support on the Downtown Campus to graduate students in the MPA and MSW programs, where their courses will continue to be taught.
These moves will support and expand academic and professional opportunities for students while allowing colleges and departments to be co-located together. These changes are intended to provide exciting opportunities to support new connections and partnerships, career-engaged learning and more.
We understand that change can bring challenges and uncertainties. To support our Roadrunners, colleges are in touch with students whose programs are relocating to provide resources and support, and People Excellence business partners are in communication with impacted areas and are ready to support faculty and staff.
Downtown resource and service enhancements
As our downtown footprint continues to expand, dedicated teams across the university are collaborating to grow and enhance resources as more Roadrunners prepare to experience the energy, opportunity and connectivity of downtown San Antonio.
- Students can experience a full range of support services across the Downtown Campus, Southwest Campus, San Pedro I and One Riverwalk Place.
- Free and convenient transportation is available from the Main Campus to our downtown locations offered by VIA bus services. Additionally, downtown transportation options have recently expanded to include new VIA routes, more frequent bus service between the Main and Downtown campuses, on-demand service in the VIA Link Downtown Zone and convenient travel between downtown locations with enhanced services of The Little Runner circulator.
- Parking options for downtown have expanded to include surface lot parking available with a wide selection of parking permits, hourly parking through ParkMobile, and the Downtown Campus and One Riverwalk Place Garages.
- There are new downtown dining options, including The Den at One Riverwalk Place. San Pedro I features The Eatery, San Pedro II will feature a new grab-and-go market opening this fall and the Frio Street Food Court at the Downtown Campus is undergoing renovations to accommodate increased capacity.
- Public Safety partners with Centro San Antonio to offer expanded campus safety resources, including on-demand safety escorts, Centro ambassadors and information kiosks. Public Safety also provides 24-hour campus patrols across our campuses.
- The university continues to explore opportunities for future downtown housing, which is a key finding of the district planning study. In the coming weeks, Campus Services will launch an online form to learn more about student interest in this initiative. We look forward to sharing future updates about downtown housing to further support student success.
Downtown growth
In addition to the upcoming changes this fall, our downtown locations continue to grow and drive our momentum in the heart of San Antonio. In January 2026, the Institute of Texan Cultures (ITC) re-opened to the public in Frost Tower. This newly designed space presents an interactive experience celebrating Texas heritage. Admission is free to UT San Antonio faculty, staff and students with a university ID.
Next week, we look forward to celebrating the grand opening of San Pedro II. This new 180,000 square foot facility, located next to San Pedro I along San Pedro Creek, will house the Valero Engagement Center, the Harvey E. Najim Innovation District and the USAA Student Success Center for the College of AI, Cyber and Computing.
Looking forward
District planning is a long-term effort that will support our continued growth in the urban core, while also exploring space utilization at the Main Campus and Park West. We encourage you to explore the district planning report to learn more about immediate priorities and opportunities for future development at each of these locations.
As we look ahead, we will continue to lean on our district planning initiative to support an engaging university culture that enhances the student, faculty and staff experience. Together, we will continue our progress towards UT San Antonio’s thriving future.
