SAN ANTONIO — Ricardo Romo, the president of the University of Texas at San Antonio, announced Wednesday his plans to retire in August 2017.

Romo, the school's longest serving and first Hispanic president who took the helm in 1999, will retire at the conclusion of the spring 2017 academic semester, the school announced in a blog post.

“I am privileged to have been at UTSA at one of the most exciting times in its history. Our progress as a university has been monumental. We are well on our way to Tier One, and it is closer than ever,” Romo said. "...This is the right time to hand the reins of leadership to a new president, knowing there is a solid foundation of excellence in place and tremendous momentum that will keep UTSA moving forward.”

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Romo will return to UTSA as a historian at the school's downtown Institute of Texan Cultures after a year sabbatical, according to the post.

"Since being named president, Romo has led the university through the most transformative period in its history, with more than 50 percent of all academic degrees awarded during his tenure than in the previous 30 years," the post said.

The school's enrollment is just under 30,000.

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"The UT System will begin a national search for a new president immediately," the post said.

The school is holding a press conference at 10:30 a.m.

kparker@mysa.com

Twitter: @KoltenParker