Sunset Review: The University of North Texas (UNT) Board of Regents specifies that each Bureau, Center, Institute and Laboratory that has been organized as a research and/or service unit must be reviewed on a periodic basis. This review determines if a continuing need exists for the unit in its present form, if conditions should be assigned to its further existence, or if the unit should be disbanded. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (VP/AA) has the responsibility of reviewing organized research and service units. The VP/AA must establish dates for these reviews, to be known as Sunset Reviews, so that all such units are reviewed periodically. The VP/AA informs the director of the unit that the review will occur and requests that the director begin preparing a report and collecting information about the unit. History of the organization of the unit, goals and objectives of the unit, activities and/or projects of the unit and significant accomplishments, financial summary showing the expenditures from state and local funds in each of the major budget categories, all revenues received including sources and the amounts of each, proposed plans for the future, and any supplementary information such as publications, brochures, annual and progress reports are submitted. The Sunset Review Committee (SRC), appointed by the Chancellor/President and comprised of faculty members, evaluates the unit and provides an assessment of the program, as well as recommendations. The SRC submits a copy of the reports and responses prepared by the dean and the director of the unit, a copy of the report prepared by the SRC, and any other pertinent information to the VP/AA. The VP/AA then distributes recommendations that will be forwarded to the Chancellor/President (C/P) to the Dean’s Council and the University Committee. The VP/AA submits final recommendations and a copy to of the final report to the C/P. The review process is completed when the C/P acts on the VP/AA’s recommendations and acknowledges such actions in a letter to the Provost and VP/AA, the dean, and the director of the unit. The Provost and VP/AA presents the outcome of the review as an information item to the Role and Scope Committee of the Board of Regents. Source: 2001 Policy for the Sunset Review of Organized Research and Service Units (no. 16.9) University of North Texas at Dallas (UNTD): In September 1998, the University of North Texas (UNT) was selected to be the new university’s educational partner after State Senator Royce West and Representative Helen Giddings introduced SCR 75 at Texas’ 75^th Legislative Session, which authorized the establishment of a commission to study the creation of an institution of higher learning to be located in southern Dallas County. On January 1999, the coordinating board granted permission to the University of North Texas to open the UNT System Center at Dallas. In June 1999, the Texas Legislature and governor approved a $4.2 million appropriation to fund start-up costs and operations at the System Center. Support for the funding was led by Senator West and Representative Giddings. In 2000, Dr. Virginia Wheeless, UNT’s Associate Chancellor for Planning, was appointed the System Center’s interim executive director. On May 8, 2001, Governor Rick Perry signed into law Senate Bill 576, which formally created an independent University of North Texas at Dallas (UNTD). The same year, Dr. John Ellis Price was named UNTD’s first chief executive officer. In 2003, The Communities Foundation of Texas awarded the UNT System a $500,000 planning grant to fund a high quality, professional master plan for property UNTD owned. Consisting of 264 wooded acres, the site was ideally located just east of I-20 on what was then Houston School Road. The Legislature authorized $25.4 million for construction of UNTD’s initial academic building. In 2005, the master plan for UNTD’s new Dallas campus, which took 18 months to complete, was approved. Ground was broken in October to begin construction of UNTD’s initial academic building- a 75,000 square foot, three-story structure. In 2006, the initial academic building was completed and occupied. In 2009, Governor Perry signed Senate Bill 629, which released $25 million in revenue bonds. Construction got underway on a second, companion academic building. In 2010, the second academic building was completed and occupied. In the fall, UNTD welcomed its first freshman class. Source: https://www.untdallas.edu/unt-dallas-milestones

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