Texas State University–San Marcos
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Texas State University |
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| Motto | “The noblest search is the search for excellence.” |
| Established | 1899 |
| Type | Public |
| President | Denise Trauth, Ph.D |
| Students | 27,503 (Fall 2006) |
| Location | San Marcos, Texas, USA |
| Campus | 456 acres |
| Nickname | Bobcats |
| Colors | Maroon and Gold |
| Mascot | Boko |
| Affiliations | Southland Conference |
| Website | www.txstate.edu |
| Logo is a trademark of Texas State University | |
Texas State University–San Marcos is a doctoral granting university located in San Marcos, Texas. Texas State is the largest institution of the Texas State University System and one of the 75 largest universities in the United States.
As the university's student population has grown - from 303 in 1903 to 27,503 in 2006 - the campus, too, has expanded, and today consists of a 456-acre main campus and 5,000 additional acres in recreational, instructional, farm and ranch land. Texas State is also the lead institution of a multi-institution teaching center offering several programs in the greater north Austin area. There are 1,586 Texas State students enrolled at the Round Rock Higher Education Center (RRHEC).
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[edit] History
The school was founded in 1899, and opened its doors in 1903 as Southwest Texas State Normal School in order to meet a need for teachers in the southwest part of the state. Over a hundred-year period, the school has gone from a teachers' college to a multipurpose university.
The school has changed its name five times since opening:
- Southwest Texas State Normal College (1918–1923)
- Southwest Texas State Teachers College (1923–1959)
- Southwest Texas State College (1959–1969)
- Southwest Texas State University (1969–2003)
- Texas State University (Since 2003)
The most recent name change took effect in September 2003, after some controversy between the school administration, alumni, and student body leaders. After several years of inconclusive discussion, leaders from the Associated Student Government (ASG) of Texas State convinced the Texas Legislature to pass a law changing the university's name. The new name change also brought along a re-branding as well. The logo was changed to represent the campus' oldest building which is called Old Main. The mascot also got a re-brand to fit the new look of the university.
[edit] Campus
The campus is in San Marcos, a community about halfway between Austin and San Antonio on Interstate 35. Its location on the banks of the San Marcos River provides students with recreational and leisure activities, such as swimming and tubing, throughout the year.
Overlooking the campus and serving as a geographic landmark since 1903 is Old Main, a restored red-gabled Victorian building. Old Main has undergone many renovations. Originally, most of the second floor was a large auditorium/chapel, with an ornately carved and filigreed cathedral ceiling. With a stage at one end and a balcony at the other, this is where general assemblies, plays and presentations were held. The auditorium was subdivided into smaller rooms in the 1972 renovation, and in 1988 a floor was added at the balcony level. However, the remnants of the ornate ceiling are still visible on the third floor. An extensive restoration in 1993-94 returned the famous roof to its original style and color.
Old Main now houses the School of Fine Arts and Communication, the Department of Mass Communication and Student Media. In 1979, the university purchased the former San Marcos Baptist Academy, located adjacent to the original campus and added a number of classroom buildings and residence halls. The totality of the campus today covers approximately 429 acres (1.7 km²), as well as an additional 4,200 acres (17 km²) in off-campus ranches and outdoor facilities. Enrollment in Fall of 2006 was 27,503, compared to an opening enrollment in 1899 of 303.
The Albert B. Alkek Library offers students a wide range of learning resources, including more than 1.3 million books, documents, serials, and other printed material. In addition there are over 235,000 volume equivalents in microform and 3 2 ,000 AV titles including 1,900 software programs for the public computer lab. The library receives 8,500 print or electronic journals and provides access to 195 databases covering all subjects. An on-line catalog, accessible via the Internet, provides information on the library's holdings.
Through TexShare, a statewide resource-sharing program, students have borrowing privileges at nearly 150 university, community college, and public libraries in Texas . Interlibrary loan, and a course reserve service (including E-Reserves) are provided.
The Library includes a computer lab with IBM compatible and Macintosh workstations, laser printers, scanners, and video editing equipment. Computer workstations with adaptive equipment for disabled users are also available. Laptop computer s connecting to a wireless network may be checked out for building use.
On a hot summer day in 1916, Dr. S.M. “Froggy” Sewell, a mathematics professor, went wading into the brush- and weed-choked San Marcos River. No place was deeper than three feet, and all agreed that the college needed a park. In 1917 the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries leased the college four acres of land along the river. College workers armed with mud scrapers and mules cleaned the river bottom, built up the banks and smoothed the slopes. It was called Riverside until renamed for Sewell in 1946. The present-day plaza and basketball court used to be an island, but the eastern fork of the river consistently got clogged and was eventually filled in. The S-shaped bend in the river was shored up by concrete walls in the ’20s. In 1984 a $1 million renovation gave the present six-acre park its current look. Sewell Park is open to Texas State students, faculty and staff.
[edit] Academics and Faculty
Texas State University offers 114 undergraduate, 81 masters, and 6 Ph.D. graduate degree programs from nine colleges:
- College of Applied Arts
- McCoy College of Business Administration
- College of Education
- College of Fine Arts and Communication
- College of Health Professions
- College of Liberal Arts
- College of Science
- University College
- Graduate College
The university's Department of Geography is top-ranked nationally, and its School of Music is considered to have one of the top music education programs in the nation.
Texas State University-San Marcos is continuing its rise in the rankings of America's Best Colleges, according to a report released by U.S. News & World Report.
- For the second consecutive year, Texas State was ranked in the top tier of master's universities in the 15-state Western Region of the U.S. News ranking system.
Among public colleges in the Western Region master's division, Texas State is tied for 10th in the rankings with Central Washington University, San Jose State University and Weber State University. Texas State is the top-ranked Texas public institution in its group, with only one other Texas public college cracking the top tier in the Western master's college division--the University of Texas at Tyler.
- Texas State University-San Marcos has been named by the Princeton Review as one of America’s Best Value Colleges for 2007.
The list ranks the top 150 public and private institutions nation-wide, placing Texas State in elite company. Texas State joins just three other Texas universities on the list: Rice University in Houston, Texas A&M University in College Station and the University of Texas in Austin.
- Still honoring its founding as a teachers college, Texas State certifies more teachers than any other school in Texas. It has been recognized by the Association of Teacher Educators as one of the top three teacher education programs in the country and is headquarters for the National Center for School Improvement, the Texas School Safety Center and other education initiatives to meet the challenges of public education today.
- The Geography Department has been ranked the largest and one of the best programs in the nation for many years by the Association of American Geographers.
Since the university's first two Ph.D.s in geography (two in geography) were awarded in May 2000 , the number of doctoral programs offered by Texas State has increased to six. Ph.D.s are now offered in environmental geography; geographic education; geographic information science; school improvement; adult, professional and community education; and aquatic resources. The Coordinating Board has praised the university for the manner way in which it sought its doctoral programs—building on already successful undergraduate and graduate programs
- Annual external grant expenditures, which totaled less than $2 million in the late ’80s, were $20.5 million in FY04.
- The College of Business Administration , which has been named for Emmett and Miriam McCoy whose $20 million gift will endow chairs, scholarships and program development for students and faculty, will move into a new building in 2006.
- Faculty members in geography, communication studies, business, mathematics and mass communication have been recognized as the best in the nation in their fields. Fourteen faculty members have been honored as Piper Professors, an annual recognition of the top college faculty in the state.
- The graduate Master of Public Administration Program has won five National awards for oustanding student research papers. Department Chair Patricia Shields won the 2007 Laverne
Birchfield Award for best public administration book review from the American Society of Public Administration (ASPA) in Washington, D.C.
- The Texas State MathWorks Summer Program received one of five Texas Higher Education Star Awards for exemplary programs to close the educational gaps that challenge the state. Its creator was one of 10 individuals in the nation honored by President Bush for remarkable results in increasing the participation of persons with disabilities, minorities and women in science, math and engineering.
- The engineering and technology curriculum is designed to produce a qualified workforce for the high-tech industry, with programs in manufacturing engineering and semiconductor manufacturing. The new Mitte Complex, which is named for alumni donors Roy F. and Joann Cole Mitte, opened in fall 2003, includes a state-of-the-art microchip fabrication facility.
- The creative writing program in the College of Liberal Arts is rapidly building its national reputation. It has been cited by Associated Writing Programs as "a dynamic program” that will likely establish Texas State as “a regional – and very likely national – center for the literary arts.” In the March 6, 2005 edition of the Des Moines Register, David Fenza, director of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs, calls the English Department’s MFA program “a rising star” and one of the “young turks” positioned to challenge the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, the nation’s top creative writing program at the University of Iowa. National Book Award winner Tim O’Brien holds the Mitte Chair in Creative Writing for 2005-06.
- The sound recording technology program, housed at Texas State’s unique Fire Station Studio, is the only degree program of its kind in the Southwest.
- In 1995, the Texas State College of Education established the Tomás Rivera, (1935-1984), Texas State 's first Mexican-American Distinguished Alumnus. For ten years this award has encouraged authors, illustrators and book publishers to create quality children's literature that authentically reflects the history and culture of Mexican-Americans..
[edit] Students
- Texas State’s admissions standards are among the highest in the state for public institutions. *Today almost all incoming freshmen graduated in the top half of their high school class, compared with three-quarters of them in the late ’80s; more than half are from the top quarter of their classes, compared with 35% in the late ’80s.
- Texas State is the third most popular choice of colleges for Texas students who apply electronically. About half of students apply on-line.
- The retention rate of freshmen is now 76%, up from 57% in the late ’80s.
- The student body is 26% ethnic minority.
- Texas State continues to be among the top 20 producers of Hispanic undergraduate degrees in the country.
- Student teams in debate, advertising and free enterprise routinely place high in national competitions.
- The Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team won the international competition in 2000 against 700 teams from 15 countries and has placed among the top 20 for eight straight years.
- The American Advertising Federation student team placed third in nationals from a field of over 250 universities in 2004.
- Student Matthew Tiffee beat out hundreds of other students to win one of two positions on the 2004 U.S. Debate Team.
- Students from the Mass Communication Department scored an unprecedented round of wins during the spring of 2005.
- The University Star won more than 24 awards from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, including 1st Place Best in Show and 1st Place for Overall Excellence, and 9 awards from the Texas Community Newspaper Association.
- Radio students at KTSW-FM won 10 awards and TV students 5 awards at TIPA.
- In a separate competition, Texas State public relations students placed in the top 3 out of 75 teams nationally in the Bateman Competition, advancing to the next level.
- Texas State students in jazz, marching and concert band, symphony, choirs, instrumental ensembles, mariachis and steel drum band maintain schedules of performances across the state and the world; the jazz program has been featured for years at the Montreux (Switzerland) Jazz Festival.
- Students in communications design continue to sweep competitions in Houston, San Antonio and Dallas, building the Art and Design Department’s reputation as Texas’ leading graphic arts program.
- Bobcats compete in 16 intercollegiate sports in NCAA Division I (Division 1-AA in football), where 360 students are scholarship athletes, in addition to a wide-ranging program in intramural and club sports, which are open to all students.
- Students are offered leadership opportunities in some 300 social, professional, political and religious organizations.
[edit] Athletics
The school's official mascot is Boko the Bobcat, 2006 mascot of the year, with sports teams competing in NCAA Division I for every sport besides football which competes at the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. The Texas State Bobcats made it to the semi-finals round in the 2005 FCS playoffs after winning the Southland Conference title with a 9-2 record. Prior to 2005, Texas State had not won a football championship in over 20 years. On March 26th 2007, from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, the Texas State baseball team cracked the top 30. Texas State is currently ranked at the No. 30 spot for Division I baseball
[edit] Student Life
Texas State has an active Greek System, with over 30 different fraternities and sororities. Texas State has over 200 student organizations within the categories of Academic, Chartered, Greek, Honors, Multicultural, Political, Professional, Recreational, Religious, Residence Halls, Service, Special Interest and Sports Clubs. The Greek community at Texas State includes a variety of service, traditions, leadership, service and more! There are 31 organizations and more than 1,300 students who are members.
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Student Center is a 220,000 square-foot facility, known as the students’ "living room." It houses the following:
- Greek Affairs
- Student Organizations
- Student Volunteer Connection
- Homecoming
- Non-Traditional Students Organization (NTSO)
- Student Association of Campus Activities (SACA)
- Off Campus Student Services
- Lair Food Court – variety of foods including Chic-Fil-A, Burger King and Pizza Hut
- Freshens bakery – coffee, smoothies and other ‘grab and go’ items
- Lyndon’s – Starbucks coffee and Krispy Kreme donuts, Blimpie’s, soup, sandwiches and evening entertainment
- Boko's Living Room – theater with large screen and TDX sound as well as four TV-viewing rooms (Click's Computer Lab is located in Boko's )
- PAWS Market – convenience store offering a variety of items
- Aztec Screen Printing
- Hair Salon
- George's – multipurpose venue featuring 8 televisions, billiards, video games, darts, table tennis , beverages, snacks and weekly live performances
Computer Labs (Click's, 4 th Floor and Lyndon's e-mail stations)
- Study areas and Quiet Study Lounge
- ATM Machines and Telephones
- Gaillardia Gallery
[edit] Student Media
Texas State's FM radio station, KTSW, broadcasts at 89.9 MHz and provides sports coverage of Texas State athletics as well as an eclectic mix of music. The KTSW website provides live streaming of broadcasts and the Texas State television channel employs KTSW broadcasts as background music. KTSW has its offices located in Old Main, the most iconic building on the campus. Along with a radio station, The University Star is an award-winning newspaper, which publishes three days a week. Along with a publication distributed around campus and the San Marcos community, the Star maintains an up to date website for news as well as a video component.
[edit] Facilities
[edit] Notable alumni
The most famous graduate of the university is U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson[1]. Other notable alumni of Texas State include:
- Country singer George Strait[1]
- Country singer Randy Rogers
- Evangelical Christian activist Beth Moore[1]
- Film director Thomas Carter[1]
- Actor/filmmaker Richard Jones
- Actor G.W. Bailey
- Actor Powers Boothe[1]
- Actress Tracy Scoggins
- Columnist Heloise[1]
- NBA basketball player Jeff Foster[1]
- NBA basketball player Torgeir Bryn
- Writer Tomás Rivera
- Professional wrestlers Shawn Michaels and Lance Hoyt
- NFL football player Frederick Evans and Ricky Sanders
- NFL football player Jeff Novak
- MLB baseball player Scott Linebrink, San Diego Padres
- Charles Austin Gold Medalist High Jump 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. 1991 world champion. The 190 cm Austin cleared 2.39m (7 ft 10) on his final jump (an Olympic record at the time).
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Texas State University–San Marcos
- Official Texas State athletics site
- The University Star
- KTSW 89.9FM
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