Joe Straus visits UTEP to discuss upcoming Texas Legislature

President Diana Natalicio poses with Joe Straus and the Democratic Texas State Reps

Michaela Roman and Maria Esquinca, Photo Editor, Staff Reporter • September 22, 2014

Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, visited UTEP in preparation for the next regular session of the Texas Legislature. The discussion took place Monday morning at the Undergraduate Learning Center.

It was a short meeting that only lasted about 10 minutes.

Democratic Texas State Reps. Joe Moody, Marissa Marquez, Joe Pickett, Naomi Gonzalez and Cesar Blanco attended the event.

Straus said his only marching order from UTEP was the issue of tuition revenue bonds for construction of important facilities.

UTEP President Diana Natalicio plans to visit Austin for the next legislative session to ask for funds for an interdisciplinary research building and the expansion of a cooperative pharmacy program UTEP has with the University of Texas at Austin, which was denied to UTEP in the last legislative session.

“What we’re requesting is funding that would give us support over a limited period of time, just until the regular funding by student enrollment would kick in,” Natalicio said.

Maria Esquinca and Michaela Roman may be reached at [email protected].

About the Contributor

Michaela Roman, Editor-in-Chief

Michaela is a Senior Digital Media Production major at The University of Texas at El Paso. As the Editor-in-Chief, and former Photo Editor of The Prospector, she has learned to stay organized, manage a staff of writers and photographers, meet deadlines, cover events and network with others. She also has freelance experience and a personal photography business. Michaela aspires to work as an editor for a large media outlet and one day go to graduate school to teach photojournalism.