The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) will begin construction next month on an $82 million engineering building.

The 150,000-square foot building will house research and teaching laboratories as well as academic support facilities for the university's engineering programs.

The new building is slated for completion in August 2009.

On November 5, administrators will also unveil A Shared Vision: UTSA 2016, the schools's master plan for growth. UTSA officials say this plan will help shape the university's future and redefine the educational landscape of the South Texas region.

Other projects at UTSA include a new $28 million student housing development located near the campus. Hill Country place will open its doors to students in July 2008.

With 28,534 students enrolled in 126 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, UTSA is the second-largest component in The University of Texas System and has been one of the state's fastest-growing public universities for much of the last decade. UTSA offers 63 bachelor's, 43 master's and 20 doctoral degree programs. UTSA is rapidly moving toward classification as a doctoral/research intensive institution.