Texas State Technical College System
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Texas State Technical College System or TSTC is a system of two-year technical schools in Texas. The system includes Colleges in Harlingen, Marshall, Waco, and West Texas which has campuses in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood, and Sweetwater; and the TSTC Corporate College which links TSTC's storehouse of experts, instructors, and facilities to the diverse needs of industry. The System's headquarters are at the old Connally Air Force Base north of Waco along with the Waco campus.
The purpose of TSTC is described in Vernon’s Texas Education Code Section 135.01: “The Texas State Technical College System is a co-educational two-year institution of higher education offering courses of study in technical-vocational education for which there is a demand within the state of Texas.
“The Texas State Technical College System shall contribute to the educational and economic development of the State of Texas by offering occupationally-oriented programs with supporting academic coursework, emphasizing highly specialized advanced and emerging technical and vocational areas for certificates or associate degrees. The Texas State Technical College System is authorized to serve the State of Texas through excellence in instruction, public service, faculty and manpower research and economic development. The system’s economic development efforts to improve the competitiveness of Texas business and industry include exemplary centers of excellence in technical program clusters on the system’s campuses and support of educational research commercialization initiatives. Through close collaboration with business, industry, governmental agencies and communities, including public and private secondary and postsecondary educational institutions, and the system shall facilitate and deliver an articulated and responsive technical education system.
“In developing and offering highly specialized technical programs with related supportive coursework, primary consideration shall be placed on industrial and technological manpower needs of the state. The emphasis of each Texas State Technical College System campus shall be on advanced or emerging technical programs not commonly offered by public junior colleges.”
[edit] History
"Born from a Vision: A Strong Texas" Texas State Technical College (TSTC) was established in 1965 as the James Connally Technical Institute (JCTI) of Texas A & M University to meet the state’s evolving workforce needs. This college was located in Central Texas at the former James Connally Air Force Base in Waco. At the time, Governor John Connally predicted that it would be "the most sophisticated technical-vocational institute in the country."
In 1967, JCTI expanded to include a South Texas campus in Harlingen. In 1969, the colleges separated from Texas A&M University and became an independent state system, with the name Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) and its own Board of Regents. Additional campuses were created in 1970 in Amarillo in the Panhandle of Texas and in Sweetwater in West Texas. As the demand for quality technical education continued to grow, extension centers were established in McAllen (1983), Abilene (1985), Breckenridge (1989), Brownwood (1991), and Marshall (1991). In 1991, TSTI was renamed Texas State Technical College (TSTC). In 1999, the extension center in Marshall became an independent college of the system.
[edit] Accreditation
Texas State Technical College Waco is accredited to award Associate of Applied Science degrees and Certificates of Completion by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, telephone number 404-679-4501). Students may review accreditation records in the TSTC Office of the President. TSTC is a member of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and is listed in that association's Report of Credit Given.
[edit] Governance
The TSTC System is governed by a nine-member Board of Regents and operated under the direction of a systemwide Chancellor. These Regents, who provide a statewide perspective, are appointed by the governor to six-year terms. The Board meets quarterly to provide leadership and enact policies for the successful management and operation of the system. The colleges operate under the rules and regulations of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The Texas State Technical College System Chancellor is Bill Segura, Ph.D.
Each year Community College Week publishes a special report on the top associate degree and certificate producers in the nation, considering the public, private nonprofit, and proprietary institutions of higher education that award two-year degrees and one- and two-year certificates. All such institutions that are eligible for federal financial aid funds under Title IV legislation are considered. Some data are reported by institution, while others are reported by system; TSTC is reported by institution. This year’s report is based on preliminary data for Academic Year 2004-2005.
[edit] Top 100 Colleges
Each year Community College Week [1]publishes a special report on the top associate degree and certificate producers in the nation, considering the public, private nonprofit, and proprietary institutions of higher education that award two-year degrees and one- and two-year certificates. All such institutions that are eligible for federal financial aid funds under Title IV legislation are considered. Some data are reported by institution, while others are reported by system; TSTC is reported by institution. The current report, published June 19, 2006 is based on preliminary data for Academic Year 2004-2005. According to the June 19, 2006 issue of Community College Week:
- TSTC Harlingen is ranked among the top twenty colleges in the state of Texas (ranked 73 nationally) in conferring Associate's degrees all disciplines to Hispanic graduates;
- TSTC Waco is ranked the top college in the state of Texas (ranked 45 nationally) in conferring Associate's degrees in Agriculture, Agricultural Operations & Related Sciences;
- TSTC Waco is ranked the second college in the state of Texas (ranked 12 nationally) in conferring Associate's degrees in Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians;
- TSTC Waco is ranked the second college in the state of Texas (ranked 21 nationally) in conferring Associate's degrees in Computer & Information Sciences & Support Services; and
- TSTC Waco is ranked the number one college in the state of Texas (ranked 39 nationally) in conferring Associate's degrees in Precision & Production.
TSTC Marshall is ranked #1 in Texas and #11 in the nation among two-year colleges according to the 2007 college ranking conducted by Washington Monthly.
