The First Decade

F6 | Sunday, September 15, 2019 | lmtonline.com | Laredo Morning Times  $QQLYHUVDU\ it, of a really strong political organi- zation here,” Green said. “Probably as a result of the Independent Club, it was probably instrumental in get- WLQJ XV LQ WKH ÀUVW SODFH DQG D IDFWRU of keeping it open.” There was also chatter from the State Legislature of new Higher Education Commissioner Kenneth Ashworth wanting to revoke the center’s degree-granting privileges and turn them back over to Texas A&I in Kingsville. Yet activists and faculty went toAustin in protest, and the proposal died. Master’s in International Trade The center created its Institute for International Trade in 1974, an in- terdisciplinary hub which facilitated various conferences on business. The institute was later incorporated LQWR WKH $ 5 6DQFKH] -U 6FKRRO RI Business. Donald Barreson served as Aca- demic Dean of the American Gradu- ate School of International Management in Arizona but came to Laredo to lead the in- stitute. These conferences covered topics such as plant opera- tions and labor, foreign trade zones, importation and pro- cessing. Oilman and philan- WKURSLVW 5DGFOLIIH .LOODP donated in lieu of the State Legislature, which vetoed appropriating $200,000 for 1976-77. Texas A&I at Laredo also earned accreditation to award a Master of Busi- ness Administration in In- ternational Trade. Manuel Pacheco, who became the school’s president after Cowart in 1984, said the PDVWHU·V SURJUDP EHQHÀWHG WKH DUHD and all those interested in foreign trade. “It was a small but extremely im- portant beginning for something that didn’t exist since Laredo was one of the largest inland ports,” Pa- checo said. “It made sense to have an opportunity to analyze what the SRUW PHDQW WR /DUHGR DQG WKH 8QLWHG States.” The new master’s degree attract- ed students worldwide, including from Canada, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Malaysia, Mexico, Sierra Leone, Southeast Asia and Venezuela, and it helped build up the center’s diver- sity to where it is today. Pacheco said he traveled all over, visiting places such as China, Hong Kong and Taipei to recruit students. These countries’ governments often created scholarships and programs so students could come to the center and study business. “The original thought was that its was go- ing to be a way to educate Ameri- cans and Mexicans to focus on trade between primarily Mexico and the 8 6 µ 3DFKHFR VDLG ´7KHQ WKH SULQ - ciples involved in border trade were transferable to other forms of trade, so we decided that we would start recruiting from not only Mexico and WKH 8 6 EXW DQ\ SDUW RI WKH ZRUOG µ In 1979, new gov. Bill Clements slashed millions from the state’s budget, posing another threat to funding. Yet the institute received $799,170 for 1980-81. First Building The center’s enrollment grew to more than 800 students in 1976. 7KLV SURPSWHG 8QLYHUVLW\ 6\VWHP of South Texas Board at Kingsville to appropriate $2,000 for a building site feasibility study. Cowart said it needed 18,000 square feet to function, and so Lar- edo Junior College decided to help out. The two schools then negoti- ated, and on April 14, 1976, the ju- nior college approved giving several acres of land if Cowart could secure $2 million to make it happen. Cowart and other employees frequented the Commissioner of Higher Education to ask for funds. $IWHU VHYHUDO UHMHFWLRQV WKH\ ÀQDOO\ VHFXUHG IXQGLQJ IRU WKHLU ÀUVW EXLOG - LQJ 8QLYHUVLW\ +DOO 2Q 0D\ 5LFDUGR *XWL - Gov. Dolph Briscoe approves name change to Laredo State University in 1977 Rep. Bill Hall, Sen. John Traeger, Dr. Billy Cowart and Ricardo Gutierrez break ground for University Hall in 1976