UT System Regents Award UTEP $118M for Campus Revitalization
Regents also approve new Student Union project at their August meeting
EL PASO, Texas (Aug. 21, 2025) – The University of Texas System Board of Regents allocated $118 million to fund maintenance projects to refresh and revitalize the UTEP campus during their regular August meeting today. The funds will be distributed over three years to address critical maintenance issues.
“We have the most beautiful campus in the American West, and we need to keep it maintained,” said UTEP President Heather Wilson. “Our students deserve that, and we are very grateful to the Regents for recognizing and supporting this need.”
“These investments will ensure UTEP will continue to provide a safe, modern and cost-effective learning environment for students and researchers,” said Kevin Eltife, chair of the UT System Board of Regents. “We deeply appreciate President Wilson for articulating the critical facility needs and effectively advocating for UTEP.”
UTEP’s Campus Master Plan, completed last year, outlined a significant need for maintenance for many of UTEP’s 105 campus buildings, including roofing, plumbing, electrical and HVAC issues. With the new funding, priorities will focus on life and safety concerns, upgrades to high-value research facilities, restoration of building exteriors and core mechanical systems.
Student Union Project Approved
At their meeting, Regents also acted on the UTEP’s Student Union upgrade project, which will replace Union West with a new facility and renovate Union East. The Regents approved a phased increase in the student union fee, following a majority vote by UTEP students during a campus-wide election in September 2024. The increase will finance the construction, operation and maintenance of an upgraded student union.
Regent approval comes after Texas lawmakers approved the fee adjustment during the 89th legislative session earlier this year.
“Our students led the way last year and voted to increase the union fee and modernize the Union,” Wilson said. “We are also very grateful for the leadership of Senator César Blanco and Representative Vince Perez. Without their creative leadership, this would not have happened.”
The phased fee increase will begin in Spring 2026 at $70 per semester, go up in Fall 2026 to $120 per semester and reach $150 per semester beginning Fall 2027 through Spring 2028.
“I commend The University of Texas at El Paso and the UT System Board of Regents for advancing this important project. House Bill 2853 was designed to give students the ability to chart their own future, and the Board’s approval reflects that commitment,” said Rep. Perez. “With this action, UTEP is poised to deliver a modern student union that will serve as an essential hub for academic support, student services, and campus life. This investment honors the will of the student body and reinforces UTEP’s longstanding mission of access, opportunity, and student success.”
"When I was a student at UTEP, the Student Union was where we crammed for exams, organized student events, and grabbed a bite between classes. But even back then, it felt outdated. It’s always been the heart of campus, but now, it’s finally getting the investment it deserves,” said Senator Blanco.”
Blanco added, “During the last legislative session, I was proud to help bring to life a vision shaped by student voices — one that honors the past while building for the future. I thank The University of Texas at El Paso and the UT System Board of Regents for approving and advancing this initiative. UTEP is one of the fastest-growing research institutions in the country, and the new Student Union will provide a space that connects students, supports their success, and inspires Miner pride for generations to come.”
The current fee, established in 1987, has remained unchanged at $30 per semester for nearly four decades. UTEP’s Student Union Building first opened in 1949 when the University served just 2,400 students.
About The University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is America’s leading Hispanic-serving university. Located at the westernmost tip of Texas, where three states and two countries converge along the Rio Grande, 84% of our 25,000 students are Hispanic, and more than half are the first in their families to go to college. UTEP offers 171 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs at the only open-access, top-tier research university in America.
Last Updated on August 21, 2025 at 12:00 AM | Originally published August 21, 2025
By MC Staff UTEP Marketing and Communications
