Irma Rangel College of Pharmacy: A Second opinion

IRMA RANGEL College of Pharm : A second opinion? Our College of Pharm : A second opinion? Our Elected Officials owe us an x planantion! Posted on July 22, 2005 at 04:49:59 AM by Jaime Kenedeno

Tom Craddick owes South Texas an explanation By Ron Garza June 23, 2005 It has been nearly five years since the struggle began to open the first professional school in South Texas. The local medical community was excited to support state Rep. Irma Rangel's dream and vision of creating a pharmacy school in Kingsville. Although she has passed on, her vision remains alive as we have honored her by naming the school the Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy. Advertisement In recent political events, however, the local community has seen nothing but strife in dealing with funding and appropriation for the pharmacy school. We have now gone through three legislative sessions and still no appropriations for a program that has great potential in meeting the shortage of pharmacists for the state of Texas. In a June 6 Caller-Times article, "Craddick disputes funding statement," House Speaker Tom Craddick blamed Icess Fernandez for being inaccurate and stating that the funding for the Rangel College of Pharmacy never was in the general appropriations bill. What Craddick failed to mention is that the appropriation was also attempted in House Bill 10, the "emergency appropriations bill." This bill addressed $10 million for the pharmacy school and $37 million for a medical school in El Paso. When Sen. Elliot Shapleigh discovered, on May 29, that the conference committee removed the money, he tirelessly attempted to recover the funds. This was to no avail, which again disputes the speaker's assertion that no such maneuvering was done in the eleventh hour. Dewhurst was right In the April 15 Caller-Times Q&A with Nick Jimenez, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst was on target when he stated that the pharmacy school would not get funded. Even though the governor also was on board, Dewhurst did not hold out any hopes that the speaker would put aside his differences with the other side of the aisle and do the right thing. A final point worth mentioning. Funding the Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy would impact the state budget less than 1/100th of 1 percent. This small amount from the state budget, as the speaker put it, would have a huge impact on the educational opportunities and health care services for South Texas. Some 700 students have applied for the first class of 65. When the school is fully operational, it will increase the number of pharmacists graduating from state universities by at least 20 percent. The school also will provide a catalyst for new graduate programs leading to research in diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Finally, the location of the school will serve as a conduit for educational and commercial collaboration with Mexico. The children of South Texas deserve an explanation from Speaker Tom Craddick. They will want to know why he opposed his own party leaders (the governor and lieutenant governor), the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Pharmacy Association. It is disheartening to South Texans to not to have the support of their state government to open the doors to a better and more promising tomorrow. Ron Garza is president of the Coastal Bend Pharmacy Association.
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anasazicoyotePosts: 272

Re: Irma Rangel College of Pharmacy: A Second opinion 7/23/2005 7:53:42 AM
More than Half the classrooms in TAMUK are empty after 12:00 noon. There are whole buildings practically unoccupied. Just like Del Mar. They pay way too much attention to the bricks and mortar and not enough on the flesh and blood that the building holds.
Jaime KenedenoPosts: 801

Irma Rangel College of Pharmacy: A Second opinion 7/24/2005 12:17:44 AM
I went to A&I and typically the afternoons are always reserved for Labs and conferring with instructors. In the mornings it is hard to find a parking spot. ""Build it and they will come"" Who said that?