Just one generation ago we had a workforce that held down a decent high paying job for years on end, with little to no requirements. Now, years later almost all jobs call for a High School Diploma and often times the decent high paying jobs require a college diploma. This has forced for decades, individuals from our region to see growing opportunities but has come at a cost.
Individuals have been forced to further their education. However, limited educational opportunity in the area had caused educational and financial inequities.
During the month of August, a group of regional public officials presented themselves before the Texas State University System Board of Regents at the Alpine campus of Sul Ross State University in which they posed one question. Why not us? Since then the group consisting of Regional Mayors, County Judges, Educational Representatives, and stakeholders are continuing the exploration and push to bring a 4-year university into the region which would help address educational inequities in the middle Rio Grande region Including Maverick County.
Judge David Saucedo recently spoke out about the issue and highlighted the higher learning discrepancy that our region faces as compared to an area such as Alpine where a 4-year university is set up with much less of a population flow is seen.
“Our job as Representatives is to make sure that our communities have everything needed to prosper. Mayor Ramsey Cantu and myself believe that we deserve a four-year University not necessarily in Maverick County but in the region. Unfortunately I have witnessed in the past, funding that deserves to come into this region which has been funneled
elsewhere. If you go to Alpine you will see that they have a very beautiful structure that has been built using enrollment/ population numbers from here and our region. The reality is that funding is not coming into are area the way that we believe they should be.
They are using our numbers to utilize funding over there,” said Judge Saucedo. “ I understand that at one point we had a representative from that area, Mr. Pete Gallego, who fought for that cause and his name can be seen on the University”s building. I believe it's our time, our turn to have that opportunity.”
Judge Saucedo made a direct call to representatives who represent the region at the State level to assist in making this a reality.
"This is a call to Representative Nevarez and Senator Flores to help this region. We are asking you to do everything possible to make this a reality and assure that the funding does make its way into our region. Because it is not just that an area with a population of close to 9,000 people has a 4-year university and a region which includes Maverick County, Val Verde, Uvalde, Dimmitt, Zavala does not count with a 4-year University. You have to travel either to Laredo or Alpine for those educational opportunities.
It's truly not just,” exclaimed Saucedo. “We are only asking for you all to help out the communities that you represent in our region so our residence can have the same opportunities.” Judge Saucedo stated that certain issues need to be addressed including the lack of interest from University and State representatives in pushing an initiative to make a 4- year University in the region a reality.
Judge Saucedo added that it's disappointing that in the past two meetings held that both State Representatives from the region did not attend.