The University of Texas System Board of Regents has named Taylor Eighmy, PhD, as the first president of the newly formed University of Texas at San Antonio. This decision follows a year-long process to merge The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) into a single institution.
The merger aims to combine the strengths and resources of both universities, positioning UT San Antonio as a leading institution in education, research, health care, and innovation. The new university is expected to play a significant role in supporting economic growth in the region.
Board of Regents Chairman Kevin P. Eltife commented on the integration: “Just one year ago, the regents charged UTSA and UT Health San Antonio with fully maximizing the potential of both institutions to have the highest degree of impact on its students and patients and people across Texas. President Eighmy has guided the integration process with remarkable leadership, and he and his team have created great enthusiasm among both campuses and across the San Antonio community,” Eltife said. “We are proud of President Eighmy and his leadership of UTSA over the past eight years. He has consistently demonstrated that he is the best person to lead the new integrated institution going forward.”
Eighmy has led UTSA since 2017. Under his leadership, UTSA achieved Carnegie R1 research status, launched Texas’ first College of AI, Cyber and Computing, and became a key player in technology and national security sectors in San Antonio. Earlier this year, he was also appointed Acting President of UT Health San Antonio while continuing his role at UTSA.
On September 1, 2025, UTSA and UT Health San Antonio will officially merge to become UT San Antonio. This will make it the third-largest research university in Texas by enterprise size.
John M. Zerwas, MD, chancellor of the UT System, also praised Eighmy’s work: “During the UT System’s work with President Eighmy on this incredible opportunity, we always admired his deep attention to every step along the way. He has inspired everyone to come together with the highest degree of collegiality and determination to move this work forward with all deliberate speed and creativity,” said Zerwas. “We thank President Eighmy and the many individuals who have contributed to this effort to date, and we also appreciate the excellent partnership between President Eighmy and Francisco Cigarroa, MD, who will lead UT San Antonio’s critically important health enterprise, UT Health San Antonio.”
The new university will launch with more than 40,000 students enrolled in 320 academic programs. It will have $486 million in annual research expenditures, over 500 active clinical trials underway each year, about 17,000 faculty and staff members combined from both institutions, and an estimated $7 billion annual economic impact for Texas.
UT San Antonio’s focus areas include artificial intelligence (AI), computer science, engineering education as well as biomedical research and clinical care. New initiatives are already being developed such as an MD/MSAI dual degree program designed to train physicians who can apply AI technologies in medical diagnostics and treatment.
President Eighmy expressed gratitude for his appointment: “I am deeply grateful to Chairman Eltife and all the regents for bestowing upon me the privilege of leading the most exciting initiative in American higher education,” said Eighmy. “We’ve combined two superb institutions to form a new model for public research universities. UT San Antonio has unmatched opportunity, talent and momentum. We are uniquely positioned to become one of the most consequential and forward-driving universities in the United States.”
