Published: 01-31-08
CORPUS CHRISTI – District 32 state representative candidate Todd Hunter today called for a renewed effort in the next legislative session to bring an engineering school to Texas A&M – Corpus Christi.Hunter the Republican nominee for the District 32 seat said adding the program to the university would bring needed degree programs to South Texas and the Coastal Bend. In addition Hunter said an engineering school would help local companies find the engineers they need to operate their businesses.
“Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi and many of the businesses that would benefit from engineering graduates at the school are in District 32” Hunter said. “We need a legislator who will exhibit strong leadership in this area and work with other members of the Coastal Bend delegation to make this a reality.”
Hunter noted the efforts of State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa and State Rep. Solomon Ortiz during the last legislative session for laying the groundwork to add engineering to the academic programs available at the university. And Hunter promised he would work with members of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board House Higher Education Committee Chair Geannie Morrison and other members of that committee to help develop plans for the program.
“A new engineering school at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi would benefit not only the Port of Corpus Christi but industry needs all the way from Victoria to the tip of South Texas” said Hunter who is known as a statewide leader in higher education. As a former state representative Hunter was instrumental in passing legislation that made Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi a four-year university and fought for better funding to build the school.
Hunter who served four terms in the Texas House of Representatives before leaving in 1997 to spend more time with his family is the Republican nominee for the District 32 legislative seat. A Corpus Christi attorney he said that District 32 industries in Calhoun Aransas San Patricio and Nueces counties would benefit from an engineering school at TAMU-CC.
“This region is an emerging trade corridor” Hunter said. “Access to engineering graduates will help grow our communities as more businesses locate in our region and benefit all of the citizens in the Coastal Bend and South Texas.”
Hunter said he believed a new engineering school at TAMU-CC would complement rather than hurt the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering at Texas A&M – Kingsville. “This is not an us versus them situation” Hunter said. “Instead having two engineering schools at both Corpus Christi and Kingsville could complement each other’s programs and give Texans more opportunities in career fields important to our region.”
“We need to work with all parties involved and get input from everyone to make sure a constructive solution takes place.”
