Texas State University System Explained

The Texas State University System
Established:1911
Type:Public university system
Budget:$1.65 billion (system office and all institutions, fiscal year 2024)[1]
Chancellor:Brian McCall
Students:90,000 (Fall 2023)[2]
Address:O. Henry Hall
City:Austin
State:Texas
Country:U.S.
Zipcode:78701
Coor:30.2716°N -97.7395°W
Colors:Pewter, bronze, red, blue[3]
   

The Texas State University System (TSUS) is a Public university system in Texas. It was created in 1911 to oversee the state's normal schools. It has since broadened its focus and comprises institutions of many different scopes.[1]

It is the only public university system in the state without a flagship university.[4] The TSUS is composed of four comprehensive universities offering baccalaureate and graduate degrees: Lamar University in Beaumont, Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Sul Ross State University in Alpine, and Texas State University in San Marcos. 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.[4]

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.[5]

The system owns and manages a 9269acres 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[9] [10] and the purchase of the private East Texas Normal College, founded in 1889, in 1917[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)<ref name="SB 93">Web site: Senate Bill 93, Regular Session of the Sixty-First Legislature. Legislative Reference Library of Texas. 1969. August 22, 2016. 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[21] 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 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] [22]

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.[23]

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.[24]

Sam Houston State operated an additional branch, the University Park Campus at Lone Star College–University Park near Tomball from 2011[25] until it was discontinued at the beginning of 2016.[26]

Membership timeline

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id:TS value:rgb(1,0.498,0.314) id:PI value:rgb(0.9,0.8,0.5) id:PV value:gray(0.7) id:NT value:rgb(0,0.6,0) id:AM value:rgb(0.4,0,0) id:TT value:rgb(0.8,0,0) id:LU value:rgb(0.4,0.4,0.9) id:LUS value:rgb(0,0,0.8) id:UT value:rgb(0.96,0.47,0.125)

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bar:1 color:PI from:1879 till:1911 bar:1 color:TS from:1911 till:end text:Sam Houston St. (1911–present) bar:2 color:PV from:1890 till:1899 bar:2 color:PI from:1899 till:1911 bar:2 color:TS from:1911 till:1949 text:North Texas (1911–1949) bar:2 color:PI from:1949 till:2003 bar:2 color:NT from:2003 till:end bar:3 color:PI from:1899 till:1911 bar:3 color:TS from:1911 till:end text:Texas St. (1911–present) bar:4 color:PI from:1909 till:1911 bar:4 color:TS from:1911 till:1969 text:West Texas A&M (1911–1969) bar:4 color:PI from:1969 till:1990 bar:4 color:AM from:1990 till:end bar:5 color:PV from:1889 till:1917 bar:5 color:TS from:1917 till:1969 text:Texas A&M-Commerce (1917-1969) bar:5 color:PI from:1969 till:1996 bar:5 color:AM from:1996 till:end bar:6 color:TS from:1917 till:end text:Sul Ross St. (1917–present) bar:7 color:TS from:1921 till:1969 text:Stephen F. Austin St. (1921–1969) bar:7 color:PI from:1969 till:2023 bar:7 color:UT from:2023 till:end bar:8 color:TS from:1921 till:1929 text:Texas A&M-Kingsville (1921–1929) bar:8 color:PI from:1929 till:1989 bar:8 color:AM from:1989 till:end bar:9 color:PI from:1928 till:1975 bar:9 color:TS from:1975 till:2007 text:Angelo St. (1975–2007) bar:9 color:TT from:2007 till:end bar:10 color:PI from:1923 till:1983 bar:10 color:LUS from:1983 till:1995 bar:10 color:TS from:1995 till:end text:Lamar (1995–present) bar:11 color:PV from:1909 till:1975 bar:11 color:LU from:1975 till:1983 bar:11 color:LUS from:1983 till:1995 bar:11 color:TS from:1995 till:end text:LSC–PA (1995–present) bar:12 color:LU from:1969 till:1983 bar:12 color:LUS from:1983 till:1995 bar:12 color:TS from:1995 till:end text:LSC–0 (1995–present) bar:13 color:LUS from:1990 till:1995 bar:13 color:TS from:1995 till:end text:LIT (1995–present)

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Administration

The Texas Legislature has delegated administrative power and authority over the Texas State University System to 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.[27]

The board consists of nine voting regents, including its chair and vice chairs. 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] The chair and vice chair are elected by the membership of the board to one-year terms.[27]

The chief executive officer of the university system 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.[27]

The current chancellor of the Texas State University System is Brian McCall, a former legislator in the Texas House of Representatives.[29]

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 and Health Affairs, Finance, General Counsel, Governmental Relations, and Marketing and Communications, are led by vice chancellors under the authority of the system chancellor.[27]

Headquarters

O. Henry Hall in Downtown Austin serves as the administrative headquarters of the TSUS.[30] In 2015, system regents approved the acquisition of O. Henry Hall from the University of Texas System. O. Henry Hall is a former U.S. post office and federal building and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[31] This was done so that there was a single administrative building for the system.[32] TSUS paid $8.2 million for O. Henry Hall.[33]

The system headquarters was previously in the Thomas J. Rusk State Office Building, 200 East 10th Street, Suite 600, in Downtown Austin,[27] and it occupied space in two other state office buildings in Downtown. In 2015, within those three buildings, TSUS had 24 full-time employees.[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, subject to approval by the Board of Regents.

Universities

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.

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 nameLocation
(Pop. 2010)
FoundedJoined
system
Left
system
Present affiliationEnrollment
(Fall 2023)[34]
Endowment (2015)NicknameAthletic
conference
Current universities

Lamar University
Beaumont
118,296
19231995Current member16,721$106,826,000[35] CardinalsSouthland
NCAA Div. I FCS

Sam Houston State University
Huntsville
38,548
18791911Current member20,762$94,419,903[36] BearkatsConference USA
NCAA Div. I FBS

Sul Ross State University
Alpine
5,905
19171917Current member2,119$17,087,787[37] LobosLone Star
NCAA Div. II

Texas State University
San Marcos
44,894
18991911Current member38,759$167,116,848[38] BobcatsSun Belt
NCAA Div. I FBS
Former universities

Angelo State University
San Angelo
93,200
192819752007Texas Tech University System8,452$158,754,431[39] RamsLone Star
NCAA Div. II

Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches
32,996
192119211969University of Texas System12,484$74,316,267[40] LumberjacksWAC
NCAA Div. I FCS

Texas A&M University-Commerce
Commerce
8,078
188919171969Texas A&M University System12,302$19,924,955[41] LionsSouthland
NCAA Div. I FCS

Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville
26,213
192119211929Texas A&M University System9,207$20,803,959[42] JavelinasLone Star
NCAA Div. II

University of North Texas
Denton
113,383
189019111949University of North Texas System37,175$131,749,714[43] Mean GreenAmerican Athletic
NCAA Div. I FBS

West Texas A&M University
Canyon
13,303
191019111969Texas A&M University System9,482$73,403,068[44] BuffaloesLone Star
NCAA Div. II
Note

State colleges

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 NameLocation
(Population)
FoundedJoined
system
Enrollment
Fall 2015
Carnegie classificationNicknameAthletic
conference
Lamar Institute of TechnologyBeaumont
118,296
199019955,035Associate's Colleges


High Career & Technical-High Traditional

No intercollegiate athletics
Lamar State College OrangeOrange
18,595
196919953,022Associate's Colleges:
High Career & Technical-High Traditional
Lamar State College Port ArthurPort Arthur
53,818
190919952,988Special Focus Two-Year


Health Professions

SeahawksSouthwest JCC
NJCAA Div. I

Branch campuses and extension centers

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.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About. Texas State University System. June 7, 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160522233802/http://www.tsus.edu/about.html. May 22, 2016.
  2. Web site: Enrollment. https://web.archive.org/web/20140418041418/http://www.tsus.edu/dashboard/enrollment.html. dead. April 18, 2014. Texas State University System. June 7, 2016.
  3. Web site: Branding Style Guide, Texas State University System. PDF. June 7, 2016.
  4. Web site: Institutions . Texas State University System. August 10, 2016.
  5. Web site: 2024-01-10 . About TSUS . 2024-01-16 . www.tsus.edu . en.
  6. . Texas State University System Accepts Christmas Mountains. Austin, Texas. Texas State University System. September 15, 2011. July 8, 2017.
  7. Book: 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]. Chapter 5: Creating a state Normal School Board of Regents for the State Normal Schools for White Teachers. Gammel. Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen. Gammel's Book Store. Austin, Texas. 1911. 74–76. June 10, 2016.
  8. Web site: History. Texas State University System. June 10, 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150910174441/http://www.tsus.edu/about/history.html. September 10, 2015.
  9. Book: General Laws of the State of Texas Passed by the Thirty-Fifth Legislature at its Regular Session. The Laws of Texas [Volume 17]. Chapter 197: Establishment of "Sul Ross Normal College.". Gammel. Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen. Gammel's Book Store. Austin, Texas. 1917. 442–444. June 10, 2016.
  10. Book: 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]. 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.". Gammel. Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen. Gammel's Book Store. Austin, Texas. 1918. 74–76. June 10, 2016.
  11. Book: General Laws of the State of Texas Passed by the Thirty-Fifth Legislature at its Regular Session. The Laws of Texas [Volume 17]. Chapter 195: Purchase of East Texas Normal College.. Gammel. Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen. Gammel's Book Store. Austin, Texas. 1917. 438–440. August 22, 2016.
  12. Web site: Jackson. Jere. Dreams Long Deferred. Stephen F. Austin State University. August 23, 1998. August 24, 2016.
  13. Book: General Laws of the State of Texas Passed by the Thirty-Eighth Legislature at the Regular Session. The Laws of Texas [Volume 21]. Chapter 160: State Normal Colleges—Changing Name Of. Gammel. Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen. Gammel's Book Store. Austin, Texas. 1923. 341. August 24, 2016.
  14. Book: General Laws of the State of Texas Passed by the Forty-First Legislature at the Regular Session. The Laws of Texas [Volume 26]. Chapter 286: Converting South Texas State Teachers College into the Texas College of Arts and Industries. Gammel. Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen. Gammel's Book Store. Austin, Texas. 1929. 627–631. August 24, 2016.
  15. Book: Tit. 49, Art. 2647g. Vernon's Texas Statutes, 1950 Supplement. Vernon Law Book Company. Kansas City MO. 1950. 211. June 10, 2016.
  16. Book: Tit. 49, Art. 2647d. Vernon's Texas Statutes, 1950 Supplement. Vernon Law Book Company. Kansas City MO. 1950. 210. June 10, 2016.
  17. Book: Tit. 49, Art. 2651a. Vernon's Texas Statutes, 1950 Supplement. Vernon Law Book Company. Kansas City MO. 1950. 211–213. June 10, 2016.
  18. Web site: West Texas A&M University. Young. Nancy Beck. Texas State Historical Association, Handbook of Texas Online. June 12, 2006.
  19. Encyclopedia: Singg. Sangeeta. Angelo State University. Handbook of Texas Online. June 10, 2016.
  20. Web site: House Bill 242, Regular Session of the Sixty-First Legislature. Legislative Reference Library of Texas. 1969. August 22, 2016.
  21. Web site: Senate Bill 416, Regular Session of the Sixty-First Legislature. Legislative Reference Library of Texas. 1969. August 24, 2016.
  22. Web site: History. Lamar Institute of Technology. June 11, 2016.
  23. Web site: History of the Texas State Round Rock Campus. Texas State University. June 12, 2016.
  24. Title 3, Subtitle F, Chapter 109A, Sec 109A.001, Texas Education Code. Retrieved on June 13, 2016.
  25. Gauntt . Jennifer . March 29, 2011 . SHSU To Showcase New Campus With Open House . Huntsville, Texas . Sam Houston State University . July 14, 2016.
  26. Parrett . Tammy . September 18, 2015 . SHSU To Close University Park Campus . Huntsville, Texas . Sam Houston State University . July 14, 2016.
  27. Web site: The Texas State University System, Rules and Regulations. PDF. May 19, 2017. July 8, 2017.
  28. Web site: Board of Regents. Texas State University System. July 8, 2017.
  29. Web site: Chancellor Brian McCall. Texas State University System. July 8, 2017. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160715015329/http://www.tsus.edu/leadership/chancellor/brian-mccall.html. July 15, 2016.
  30. "Contact Us." Texas State University System. Retrieved on November 19, 2017. "The Texas State University System O. Henry Hall 601 Colorado Street Austin, Texas 78701"
  31. . URL: http://www.tsus.edu/offices/marketing-communications/news/news-releases/release-052115.html--> Regents Approve Purchase of O. Henry Hall from UT System. Austin, Texas. Texas State University System. May 21, 2015. July 8, 2017. December 1, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201041518/http://www.tsus.edu/news/news-releases/release-052115.html. dead.
  32. Web site: Bien, Calily. O. Henry Hall sold to Texas State University System. KXAN. 2015-05-21. 2017-11-19.
  33. Web site: Redevelopment of UT System downtown property will generate millions in revenue for city . University of Texas System. 2017-02-02. 2017-11-19.
  34. Web site: Texas Higher Education Enrollments. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. 2023. March 18, 2016.
  35. Web site: Lamar University. National Association of College and University Business Officers. 2014. October 10, 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160131203541/http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/EndowmentFiles/2015_NCSE_Endowment_Market_Values.pdf. January 31, 2016.
  36. Sam Houston State University. U.S. News & World Report. 2017. September 13, 2016.
  37. Web site: Quick Facts. Staff. Sul Ross State University. September 13, 2016.
  38. Texas State University. U.S. News & World Report. 2017. September 13, 2016.
  39. Angelo State University. U.S. News & World Report. 2017. September 13, 2016.
  40. Stephen F. Austin State University. U.S. News & World Report. 2017. September 13, 2016.
  41. Texas A&M University-Commerce. U.S. News & World Report. 2017. September 13, 2016.
  42. Texas A&M University-Kingsville. U.S. News & World Report. 2017. September 13, 2016.
  43. University of North Texas. U.S. News & World Report. 2017. September 13, 2016.
  44. West Texas A&M University. U.S. News & World Report. 2016. September 13, 2016.