Texas State University System

The Texas State University System
Former names
  • State Normal School Board of Regents (1911–1923)
  • Board of Regents, State Teachers Colleges (1923–1975)
Type State university system
Established 1911
Budget $2.85 million (system office, 2013-15 biennium)
$659.5 million (system office and all institutions, 2013-15 biennium)[1]
Chancellor Brian McCall
Academic staff
41,866 (2014)[2]
Students 82,462 (Fall 2015)[3]
Address Thomas J. Rusk Office Bldg., Suite 600, 200 E. 10th St., Austin, Texas, 78701-2407, U.S.
30°16′17.6″N 97°44′22.3″W / 30.271556°N 97.739528°W / 30.271556; -97.739528Coordinates: 30°16′17.6″N 97°44′22.3″W / 30.271556°N 97.739528°W / 30.271556; -97.739528
Colors Pewter, bronze, red, blue[4]
                   
Website www.tsus.edu

The Texas State University System (TSUS) was created in 1911 to oversee the state's normal schools. Since its creation it has broadened its focus and comprises institutions of many different scopes. It is the oldest and third largest university system in Texas.[1] The other systems of state universities are the Texas A&M System, the Texas Tech System, the University of Houston System, the University of North Texas System, and the University of Texas System.

The system is unique to Texas because it is the only horizontal state university system in Texas; the System does not have a flagship institution and considers each university to be equal partners receiving the same level of support from the system.[5] The TSUS is composed of four comprehensive universities offering baccalaureate and postgraduate degrees: Lamar University in Beaumont, Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Sul Ross State University in Alpine, and Texas State University in San Marcos. In addition, Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College, offering courses in Castroville, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Uvalde, offers upper-division courses and postgraduate degrees and, despite being administratively part of Sul Ross St., is often described separately as a system component. The system also includes three two-year colleges offering associate degrees and professional certifications: Lamar Institute of Technology in Beaumont, Lamar State College-Orange in Orange, and Lamar State College-Port Arthur in Port Arthur.[5]

Angelo State University in San Angelo, Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas A&M University-Commerce in Commerce, Texas A&M University-Kingsville in Kingsville, West Texas A&M University in Canyon, and the University of North Texas in Denton were former members of the system. The Texas State University System saw its largest growth in 1995 when the Lamar University System with its four institutions was incorporated into the TSUS.

The Texas State University System is headquartered in Austin. The system is governed by a nine-member Board of Regents appointed by the governor of Texas. The administration is headed by a Board-appointed chancellor based in Austin.

The system owns and manages a 9,269-acre (3,751 ha) property encompassing much of the Christmas Mountains located adjacent to Big Bend National Park in southern Brewster County. The remote tract is regulated under strict conservation easements ensuring preservation in its natural state. The property serves as an open-air classroom for the system's member institutions and a laboratory for their research efforts.[6]

History

The Texas Legislature established the State Normal School Board of Regents in 1911, which would later become the present-day Texas State University System, for the control and management of the state normal schools for white teachers.[7] The Board originally assumed authority over North Texas State Normal College (founded 1890), Sam Houston Normal Institute (1879), Southwest Texas Normal School (1899), and West Texas State Normal College (1909).[8]

The Legislature authorized the establishment of Sul Ross Normal College in 1917[9][10] and the purchase of the private East Texas Normal College founded in 1889.[11] That same year, the Legislature authorized the renaming of the system's normal schools to normal colleges. Political struggles for the creation of Stephen F. Austin Normal College and South Texas Normal College (Texas A&M-Kingsville) were resolved in 1921.[12] Further legislation in 1923 renamed the system's members again to state teachers colleges[13] while the Board was renamed the Board of Regents, State Teachers Colleges.[8] South Texas left the system in 1929 to be governed independently as Texas Arts and Industrial College (Texas A&I) before eventually joining the Texas A&M University System as Texas A&M-Kingsville.[14]

Sul Ross and West Texas received name changes in 1949 becoming Sul Ross State College and West Texas State College.[15][16] North Texas would leave the system the same year becoming independently governed North Texas State College.[17] North Texas would later become the flagship campus of the University of North Texas System. Similar name changes would result in Southwest Texas State College in 1959 and Sam Houston State College in 1965.[8] West Texas State College became West Texas State University in 1963.[18]

The year 1965 also saw the incorporation of Angelo State College, founded as a junior college in 1928, into the system. With these changes, the Board became titled the Board of Regents, State Senior Colleges. All of the system's components had their names changed from state colleges to state universities in 1969[8][19] while East Texas (Texas A&M-Commerce)[20] and West Texas (West Texas A&M)[21] left the system entirely in 1969 to become independent before settling on their present affiliations with the Texas A&M University System. Stephen F. Austin left the system the same year[22] but continues to be an independent with its separate governing regents outside any of the state's other university systems.

Sul Ross established upper-division and post-graduate study centers in 1973, later to become Rio Grande College, on campuses of Southwest Texas Junior College in Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Uvalde.

The Legislature conferred upon the system in 1975 its present designation as the Texas State University System. Angelo State University was re-designated as a member along with Sam Houston State University, Southwest Texas State University, and Sul Ross State University.[8]

In the most transformative change to the TSUS in its history, the Lamar University System was abolished in 1995 and its four members were incorporated into the TSUS: Lamar University (founded 1923), Lamar Institute of Technology (1995), Lamar University-Orange (1969), and Lamar University-Port Arthur (1909).[8][23]

Southwest Texas State opened an extension center in 1996 housed in temporary buildings adjacent to a Round Rock high school. After a 2004 land donation, the permanent Texas State University Round Rock Campus was opened in 2005.[24]

Sam Houston State opened The Woodlands University Center in 1998. The following year, the former Lamar campuses in Orange and Port Arthur were renamed Lamar State College-Orange and Lamar State College-Port Arthur.

In 2003, the Legislature changed the name of Southwest Texas State to Texas State University-San Marcos. The name was shortened to Texas State University in 2013.[8]

Angelo State University left the system to affiliate with the Texas Tech University System in 2007 in the most recent change in system membership.[25]

Sam Houston State operated an additional branch, the University Park Campus at Lone Star College–University Park near Tomball from 2011[26] until it was discontinued at the beginning of 2016.[27]

Membership timeline
Lamar Institute of Technology Lamar State College–Orange Lamar State College–Port Arthur Lamar University Angelo State University Texas A&M University–Kingsville Stephen F. Austin State University Sul Ross State University Texas A&M University–Commerce West Texas A&M University Texas State University University of North Texas Sam Houston State University

 TSUS members   Private institution   Public independent   Lamar Univ. component   Lamar System member 
 North Texas System member   Texas A&M System member   Texas Tech System member 

Administration

Thomas J. Rusk State Office Building

The Texas Legislature has delegated administrative power and authority over the Texas State University System in its Board of Regents including the organization, control, and management of the system and each of its component institutions including employing and discharging the presidents, officers, and other employees of each member institution.[28]:21–22

The Board consists of nine regents including its chair and vice chair.[29] Members of the Board are appointed by the governor with Senate confirmation to staggered, six-year terms with three regents appointed every two years. In addition, a non-voting student regent is appointed annually.[28]:22–23

The chairman of the Board of Regents is Jaime R. Garza, a surgeon who also serves as a professor and assistant dean at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Garza's term on the Board expires in 2017.[30]

The chief executive officer of the university is the chancellor, who also serves as secretary to the Board of Regents without being a member of the Board. The chancellor is appointed without a fixed term by a majority of the Board of Regents and serves at the pleasure of the Board. The chancellor has ultimate authority and responsibility over all system components including recommending the hiring and firing of the presidents of system institutions, maintaining the permanent records of the system, and advising, assisting, and representing the Board in administrative matters.[28]:29–30

The current chancellor of the Texas State University System is Brian McCall, a former legislator in the Texas House of Representatives.[31]

The system's administration consists of six offices. One office, the Office of Audits and Analysis, is independent of the chancellor and headed by a director appointed by the regents. The remaining five, Academic Affairs, Contract Administration, Finance, General Counsel, and Governmental Relations, are led by vice chancellors under the authority of the system chancellor.[28]:30–31

The system headquarters is currently in the Thomas J. Rusk State Office Building, Suite 600, 200 East 10th Street in Downtown Austin.[28]:29 In 2015, system regents approved the acquisition of O. Henry Hall from the University of Texas System with the intention of leasing the hall back to the UT System until that system finishes construction of a new office building expected in 2017. Once the UT System facility is completed, the TSUS, whose 24 full-time staff members are presently working in three different office buildings in Austin, expects to consolidate its operations in the hall. O. Henry Hall is a former U.S. post office and federal building and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[32]

Comparison of present and former component institutions

The member institutions of the Texas State University system are separate and distinct institutions, have their own local presidents and administration, confer their own degrees, and establish their own criteria and requirements for admission.

Universities

Lamar  
Sam Houston St.
Sul Ross St.
Texas St.
Angelo St.
North Texas
Stephen F. Austin St.
Texas A&M-
Commerce
Texas A&M-Kingsville
West Texas A&M
Current and former universities of the Texas State University System
Current members
Former members

The TSUS does not have a flagship university. All of its comprehensive universities are regarded as stand-alone institutions equal in stature under system administration. Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College is often treated as a separate institution for statistical purposes despite being administratively under the authority of the Sul Ross president and staff. Unlike the system's other state community colleges and technical institute, Rio Grande College confers graduate and postgraduate degrees. Rio Grande College also does not offer freshman and sophomore level coursework redundant with the offerings at the Southwest Texas Junior College campuses in or near where RGC holds classes.

The University of North Texas and West Texas A&M University were founding members of the Texas State University System along with Sam Houston State and Texas State.

Official name Location
(Pop. 2010)
Founded Joined
system
Left
system
Present affiliation Enrollment
(Fall 2015)[3][33]
Endowment (2015) Nickname Athletic
conference
Current universities

Lamar University
Beaumont
118,296
1923 1995 Current member 14,494 $106,826,000[34][Note 1] Cardinals Southland
NCAA Div. I FCS

Sam Houston State University
Huntsville
38,548
1879 1911 Current member 20,031 $94,419,903[36] Bearkats Southland
NCAA Div. I FCS

Sul Ross State University
Alpine
5,905
1917 1917 Current member 2,992[Note 2] $17,087,787[37] Lobos American Southwest
NCAA Div. III

Texas State University
San Marcos
44,894
1899 1911 Current member 37,979 $167,116,848[38] Bobcats Sunbelt
NCAA Div. I FBS
Former universities

Angelo State University
San Angelo
93,200
1928 1975 2007 Texas Tech University System 8,452 $158,754,431[39] Rams Lone Star
NCAA Div. II

Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches
32,996
1921 1921 1969 Stephen F. Austin State University regents (independent) 12,484 $74,316,267[40] Lumberjacks Southland
NCAA Div. I FCS

Texas A&M University-Commerce
Commerce
8,078
1889 1917 1969 Texas A&M University System 12,302 $19,924,955[41] Lions Lone Star
NCAA Div. II

Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville
26,213
1921 1921 1929 Texas A&M University System 9,207 $20,803,959[42] Javelinas Lone Star
NCAA Div. II

University of North Texas
Denton
113,383
1890 1911 1949 University of North Texas System 37,175 $131,749,714[43] Mean Green Conference USA
NCAA Div. I FBS

West Texas A&M University
Canyon
13,303
1910 1911 1969 Texas A&M University System 9,482 $73,403,068[44] Buffaloes Lone Star
NCAA Div. II
Note
  1. US News and World Report shows Lamar endowment of $20,410,201. According to National Association of College and University Business Officers 2015 study, the endowment is $106,826,000 made up of two endowment funds, Lamar University and Lamar University Foundation, Inc. funds. US News and World Reports states that the NACUBO study is a primary source. [35]
  2. Enrollment for Sul Ross State University includes 1,973 students at the main Alpine campus and 1,019 students at Sul Ross Rio Grande College locations

Community and technical colleges

LIT
LSC-O     
LSC-PA     
Member two-year colleges of the Texas State University System

All three of the TSUS' two-year institutions offering associate degrees and professional certifications are located in the state's two most southeastern counties, Jefferson and Orange, in the Golden Triangle region where the Gulf Coast meets the Louisiana state line. All were formerly components of the now-defunct Lamar University System before the former system was incorporated into the TSUS. The three institutions, along with LIT's extension center in Silsbee located in Hardin County, are within the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area.

Official Name Location
(Population)
Founded Joined
system
Enrollment
Fall 2015[3][33]
Carnegie classification Nickname Athletic
conference
Lamar Institute of Technology Beaumont
118,296
1990 1995 2,846 Associate's Colleges:
High Career & Technical-High Traditional
No intercollegiate athletics
Lamar State College–Orange Orange
18,595
1969 1995 2,318 Associate's Colleges:
High Career & Technical-High Traditional
Lamar State College–Port Arthur Port Arthur
53,818
1909 1995 1,802 Special Focus Two-Year:
Health Professions
Seahawks Southwest JCC
NJCAA Div. I

Branch campuses and extension centers

RGC-Castroville
RGC-Del Rio
RGC-Eagle Pass
          RGC-Uvalde
TX St.-Round Rock
SHSU-The          
Woodlands         
LIT-
Silsbee
Branch and extension centers of the Texas State University System
Lamar Institute of Technology branch
Sam Houston State University branch
Sul Ross Rio Grande College branches
Texas State University branch

Branch locations of the system's comprehensive universities only offer upper-division (junior and senior) undergraduate and graduate coursework.

Sam Houston State formerly operated the Sam Houston State University Park Campus at Lone Star College-University Park near Tomball.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "About". Texas State University System. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  2. "Faculty Headcount". Texas State University System. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Enrollment". Texas State University System. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  4. "Branding Style Guide, Texas State University System" (PDF). Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Institutions". Texas State University System. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  6. "Christmas Mountains". Texas State University System. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  7. Gammel, Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen, ed. (1911). "Chapter 5: Creating a state Normal School Board of Regents for the State Normal Schools for White Teachers". General and Special Laws of the State of Texas Passed by the Thirty-Second Legislature at its First Called Session. The Laws of Texas [Volume 15]. Austin, Texas: Gammel's Book Store. pp. 74–76. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "History". Texas State University System. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  9. Gammel, Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen, ed. (1917). "Chapter 197: Establishment of "Sul Ross Normal College."". General Laws of the State of Texas Passed by the Thirty-Fifth Legislature at its Regular Session. The Laws of Texas [Volume 17]. Austin, Texas: Gammel's Book Store. pp. 442–444. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  10. Gammel, Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen, ed. (1918). "Chapter 32: Postponing Construction and Expenditure of Appropriations for "Sul Ross Normal College," "Stephen F. Austin State Normal College" and "South Texas State Normal College."". Local and Special Laws of the State of Texas Passed at the Third Called Session of the Thirty-Fifth Legislature. The Laws of Texas [Volume 18]. Austin, Texas: Gammel's Book Store. pp. 74–76. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  11. Gammel, Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen, ed. (1917). "Chapter 195: Purchase of East Texas Normal College.". General Laws of the State of Texas Passed by the Thirty-Fifth Legislature at its Regular Session. The Laws of Texas [Volume 17]. Austin, Texas: Gammel's Book Store. pp. 438–440. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  12. Jackson, Jere (August 23, 1998). "Dreams Long Deferred". Stephen F. Austin State University. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  13. Gammel, Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen, ed. (1923). "Chapter 160: State Normal Colleges—Changing Name Of". General Laws of the State of Texas Passed by the Thirty-Eighth Legislature at the Regular Session. The Laws of Texas [Volume 21]. Austin, Texas: Gammel's Book Store. p. 341. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  14. Gammel, Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen, ed. (1929). "Chapter 286: Converting South Texas State Teachers College into the Texas College of Arts and Industries". General Laws of the State of Texas Passed by the Forty-First Legislature at the Regular Session. The Laws of Texas [Volume 26]. Austin, Texas: Gammel's Book Store. pp. 627–631. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  15. Tit. 49, Art. 2647g. Vernon's Texas Statutes, 1950 Supplement. Kansas City MO: Vernon Law Book Company. 1950. p. 211. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  16. Tit. 49, Art. 2647d. Vernon's Texas Statutes, 1950 Supplement. Kansas City MO: Vernon Law Book Company. 1950. p. 210. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  17. Tit. 49, Art. 2651a. Vernon's Texas Statutes, 1950 Supplement. Kansas City MO: Vernon Law Book Company. 1950. pp. 211–213. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  18. Young, Nancy Beck. "West Texas A&M University". Texas State Historical Association, Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved June 12, 2006.
  19. Singg, Sangeeta. "Angelo State University". Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  20. "House Bill 242, Regular Session of the Sixty-First Legislature" (PDF). Legislative Reference Library of Texas. 1969. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  21. "Senate Bill 93, Regular Session of the Sixty-First Legislature" (PDF). Legislative Reference Library of Texas. 1969. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  22. "Senate Bill 416, Regular Session of the Sixty-First Legislature" (PDF). Legislative Reference Library of Texas. 1969. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  23. "History". Lamar Institute of Technology. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  24. "History of the Texas State Round Rock Campus". Texas State University. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  25. Title 3, Subtitle F, Chapter 109A, Sec 109A.001, Texas Education Code. Retrieved on June 13, 2016.
  26. Gauntt, Jennifer (March 29, 2011). "SHSU To Showcase New Campus With Open House" (Press release). Huntsville, Texas: Sam Houston State University. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  27. Parrett, Tammy (September 18, 2015). "SHSU To Close University Park Campus" (Press release). Huntsville, Texas: Sam Houston State University. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Texas State University System, Rules and Regulations" (PDF). November 12, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  29. "Board of Regents". Texas State University System. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  30. "Jaime R. Garza". Texas State University System. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  31. "Chancellor Brian McCall". Texas State University System. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  32. "Regents Approve Purchase of O. Henry Hall from UT System" (Press release). Austin, Texas: Texas State University System. May 21, 2015. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  33. 1 2 "Texas Higher Education Enrollments". Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  34. "Lamar University" (PDF). National Association of College and University Business Officers. 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  35. http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/2016-10-04/10-universities-with-the-biggest-endowments?int=highereducation-rec|quote=The growth of U.S. college endowments slowed in fiscal year 2015 with an average growth rate of 2.4 percent compared with 15.5 percent in 2014, according to a national survey of 812 colleges and universities.
  36. "Sam Houston State University". U.S. News & World Report. 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  37. Staff. "Quick Facts". Sul Ross State University. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  38. "Texas State University". U.S. News & World Report. 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  39. "Angelo State University". U.S. News & World Report. 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  40. "Stephen F. Austin State University". U.S. News & World Report. 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  41. "Texas A&M University-Commerce". U.S. News & World Report. 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  42. "Texas A&M University-Kingsville". U.S. News & World Report. 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  43. "University of North Texas". U.S. News & World Report. 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  44. "West Texas A&M University". U.S. News & World Report. 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
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