Texas Tech University
Rural Assistance Initiative
Joseph Bilello, Chair
Mission
An interdisciplinary
research, planning, and
service program to sustain
and improve the qualities
of rural living in West
Texas
Why?
Current regional conditions:
(1).
Population decline in rural West
Texas
Population in many West Texas counties is in
decline as the population in the
remainder of the state increases.
Population declines are accompanied
by: population shifts toward lower
representation levels in state
governance. Demographic and
cultural changes from Anglo toward
Hispanic majority. (1, right)
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(2) Out-migration from rural West
Texas. West Texas is experiencing
significant out-migration at a time
when urban areas of Texas are
enjoying significant population
increases related to jobs and
economic well-being (2)
(3) Aging population: The region is
2
fragmenting into several population types,
most notably the aged (3, right)
(4) Increasing poverty in rural
counties of West Texas: The rural
counties in West Texas are characterized by
increasing poverty levels that accompany
increasing economic downturn This is
signaled by depressed cotton, oil and gas,
and beef prices. (4)
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Texas Tech University
Rural Assistance Initiative
(5) Persistent poverty:
Numerous counties in
West Texas suffer from deep rooted poverty and
children grow up in the “cycle of poverty” (5)
Typical conditions of small towns in
West Texas
Small cities and towns of West Texas are faced
with challenges associated with diminishing
resources: (a) diminishing population ; (b)
vacillating employment opportunity and/or
the need for new skills retooling;© destabilized transitional economics; (d) town
infrastructures with deferred maintenance
and/or new capacity demands (e) eroding
soils and soil capacity from deferred
maintenance or uprooting native vegetation
for development, and compromised water
resources as demands change. (6)
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Why Texas Tech?
The major academic institution capable of
providing rural assistance in the region
including West Texas, eastern New Mexico,
and western Oklahoma; 1850 acre campus;
University and Health Sciences Center; 8
colleges, and School of Law; Health
Sciences Center with Schools of Medicine,
Nursing, Allied Health and Pharmacy;
25,000 students in 152 undergraduate, 107
masters and 64 doctoral programs; New and
satellite campuses developing; Texas Tech:
the major institution of the region capable of
providing technical assistance to rural
constituents regional hub (7)
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7
Main Efforts of the Initiative:
1. Getting TTU’s house in
order:
TTU/HSC inventory of rurally related
teaching, research and service
Creation of portrait of the university based
on inventory
Creation of a website for access by rural
constituents (right)
Identifying three alternative governance
strategies for the next phase of the
Rural Assistance Initiative
A white paper with the most critical rural
issues identified by 10 department and
colleges of Texas Tech and how the
university is positioned to address
them
www.ttu.edu/rural
2. Pilot partnership projects
Hale County vacant commercial and
industrial building inventory for
website posting. (9) Partners:
Northwest Texas Small Business
Development Center
Economics and Geography Department,
Texas Tech
College of Architecture, Texas Tech
Hale County Economic Development
Office
3. Rural Forum at Texas Tech
kick off event for community leadership in
a 150 mile radius to explore
partnerships
Texas Tech to provide consulting
expertise, hook up to Internet II,
access to TTU rural incubator
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Lot Information
Lot Size (Dimensions):
16470 sq. ft.
90' x 138'
Does the Lot Contain a Building?
Occupied?
No
Type of Use:
Square Footage (Est.):
Yes Is it Currently
Industrial
Institutional
Commercial X
Residential
Original Use (if known): Theater
Theater
Previous Use:
Date of Construction: Type of Construction: Brick/ Plaster
General Condition of Building:
Good
General Problems:
Exterior Features
Number of Loading Docks:
Number of Overhead Doors:
Parking Lot Square Footage:
not a lot): Street Parking Only
None
None
Dock Height:
Door Height:
Number of Spaces (if
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Pilot partnership projects
Plainview Central business district
building re-designs (10)
Partners:
Community Development office of
Plainview
Northwest Texas Small Business
Development Center
Economics and Geography
Department, Texas Tech
College of Architecture, Texas
Tech
Hale County Economic
Development Office
Rural business incubators for
Tulia, Lamesa, Muleshoe,
Brownfield, Post, and
Plainview (in progress) (11)
Northwest Texas Small Business
Development Center
TTU Economics and Geography
Department
Texas Tech College of
Architecture,
Community of Learners Educators
and Researchers Project
Small Business Incubator Facility,
Early, Texas, Quincy Ellis
consulting
10
10
Next?
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Meetings with rural community
representatives to explore
opportunities for partnership
An effective service delivery vehicle
for technical assistance to rural
constituents of Texas Tech
University expertise.
A comprehensive structure that can
effectively provide the service that
has five year funding commitment
with personnel (director, staff,
equipment and space).
A Regional Rural Assistance Centera place to house various service
centers (off campus)
11
Texas Tech University
Rural Assistance Initiative
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Specific Project interests
2000-2001
Crossing and erasing the digital
divide
– Ascertain internet
connectedness of rural
communities in the region.
Ascertain community
interest/commitment to
expanding access opportunities
– With committed communities,
pursue E-commerce
infrastructure grants specific to
rural areas. Purpose: ecommerce-related job creation
for rural constituents
– Internet connection for every
community in the region: West
Texas, eastern New Mexico,
and western Oklahoma.
– To study rural business
incubators and community
information technology centers
A comprehensive regional needs
assessment
A comprehensive regional skills
inventory- a work force analysis and
plan
A comprehensive building inventory
(available commercial and industrial
facilities, excess capacity of schools
to be used as rural electronic
community centers, etc.)
The Rural Assistance Initiative
Task force
•Joseph Bilello, Chair of Task Force, Professor of
Architecture
•Craig Bean, Executive Director, Northwest Texas Small
Business Development
•Sharon Cannon, Regional Dean of the Permian Basin
Campus School of Nursing
•Timothy Dodd, Director, Wine Marketing Institute, College
of Human Sciences
•A. Dean Fontenot, Managing Director, CLEAR Project,
College of Engineering
•Lewis Hill, Professor, Center for Regional Economic and
Industrial Development
•Phil H. Marshall, Chairperson, Political Science, Center for
Public Service
•Kary Mathis, Professor, Agricultural and Applied
Economics
•Robert McComb, Associate Professor, Economics and
Geography
•Sukant Misra, Associate Director, Cotton Economic
Research Institute
•Harry W. Parker, Professor of Chemical Engineering,
College of Engineering
•Patti Patterson, Vice President for Rural and Community
Health, Health Sciences Center
•Gerald Skoog, Horn Professor of Education, College of
Education
• Chris Esperat, School of Nursing, TTUHSC
•Alan Whitebread, Associate Dean, College of Business
Community Design
Central Business District revitalization
Plainview, Texas
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Project Team; Dr. Joseph Bilello, AIA, Professor of Architecture; Dr. Robert McComb,
Associate Professor of Economics, Department of Economics and Geography; Dr. Allen
Carrigo, Associate Director, Northwest Texas Small Business Development Center;
Grady Elder II, Economic Development Director for Hale County, Texas; John Castro,
Community Development Director, Plainview; Urs Peter Flueckiger, Design Studio
Instructor of Summer Session II; Julie Steltz, Geof Harral, Scott Roberson, Greg Burkett,
Carlos Morales. Joel Carrasco, and Jose Rubio, student designers
Community Design
Central Business District revitalization
Plainview, Texas