All Encompassing Texas Higher Education Thread

[bolverk 29784]

First, the good news.

Texas has a new Carnegie R1 university (the old Tier 1): UT-San Antonio. Congrats to the UT System for getting another sister institution into the highest category. https://www.utsa.edu/today/2021/12/story/utsa-attains-carnegie-r1-classification.html

UTSA joins the following 10 Texas schools who've achieved this status:

• Baylor
• Rice
• Texas A&M
• Texas Tech
• Houston
• North Texas
• UT-Arlington
• UT-Austin
• UT-Dallas
• UT-El Paso

To my knowledge, this is the first time our state has matched the number of Tier 1 schools at 11 that California has. I hadn't looked in a while, but I was surprised that Baylor and UTEP had made the mark too in the past couple of years. It's worth pointing out that the UT system has five R1 schools while aggy only has its mothership.

Now, the bad news. Poor Sul Ross out in Alpine is so fucked that they're desperate to join the A&M system.

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/16/sul-ross-university-pete-gallego/

[Samson's Wig 3195]

Nice to see Texas finally coming around.  Figuring out a way to reasonably finance these institutions in a more equitable manner (outside of the privates of course) would be a great next step.

 

Sul Ross moving to aggie would be a mistake.  Given the largely Hispanic student body, and the geography, Tech would be a natural fit. 

[Texas Jeff 1971]

Looks like everyone in the UT system is in except UT-Permian Basin, UT-RGV and UT-Tyler.  Way to go orange team.

UT-Arlington was basically a grad school for DFW area tech companies in the 1990s.  They were doing remote learning at company campuses 30 years ago.  Hopefully they've built a little campus spirit since then.  My company paid for my masters at UTA and I had great classes with professors that cared and knew your name, but there was not much to the campus.

UT-Dallas ... we visited when our kids were considering schools.  Lots of money to hand out, high SAT scores, nice new buildings connected by tunnels.  Lots of emphasis on moving you through college at low expense and connecting you to a good job after school.  But campus life looked about as exciting as going to college in Richardson sounds when you say it out loud.   Still, it is miles beyond what it was in the 1980s.

[pacman 7405]

They've both made progress in the area of on-campus engagement but still plenty to do in that area, imo.

This is great news for utsa, and really long overdue. Their cybersecurity program is world class.

Edited December 25, 2021 by pacman

[Guest Lobo]

On 12/24/2021 at 4:16 PM, Texas Jeff said:

Looks like everyone in the UT system is in except UT-Permian Basin, UT-RGV and UT-Tyler.  Way to go orange team.

UT-Arlington was basically a grad school for DFW area tech companies in the 1990s.  They were doing remote learning at company campuses 30 years ago.  Hopefully they've built a little campus spirit since then.  My company paid for my masters at UTA and I had great classes with professors that cared and knew your name, but there was not much to the campus.

UT-Dallas ... we visited when our kids were considering schools.  Lots of money to hand out, high SAT scores, nice new buildings connected by tunnels.  Lots of emphasis on moving you through college at low expense and connecting you to a good job after school.  But campus life looked about as exciting as going to college in Richardson sounds when you say it out loud.   Still, it is miles beyond what it was in the 1980s.

UT-RGV will get there in the next 10-15 years..  

We did a board retreat at UT-Dallas a couple years ago, for a deep two day immersion.  Was really impressed with their academic facilities and "student life" areas.  But I don't know if they told the kids to look extra studious or something while we were there, but it just had no energy to it at all.  Not a commuter school vibe really.  Everybody looks/is young, diverse, and seems to be lots of places to live on/near campus...the place just seemed dead.  But many of their degree programs are moving up the rankings, and FAST.  UT-Arlington had much more of a campus community vibe to it.  

This is great news for UT-San Antonio.  I think as it moves up the charts and sheds that commuter school reputation it endured for so long...the campus needs to migrate more aggressively from 1604 to the downtown location.  But its proximity (both in distance and cooperation) to the bases/medical center is important, I get it.  

The UT System will never catch the UC System, but this is a big step in improving higher education in Texas.  Congrats to the Road Runners on this and a great regular season in football.  Meep  Meep

[bolverk 29784]

Pretty cool

UT Rio Grande Valley to offer free tuition and fees to students with family income $100,000 or less

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley will cover full tuition and fees for students whose family income is $100,000 or less, cementing itself as the highest income threshold for this type of tuition assistance program at a public university in the state.

The tuition offer, which begins in the fall of 2022, is believed to be the largest free tuition program of its kind at a four-year university in the country. According to College Promise, a national organization that tracks these types of programs at two- and four-year schools, at least four other schools offer assistance to students whose family income is $100,000 or less, but not for all four years.

ETA:

The expansion of its tuition program could help offset a potential fee increase next year for incoming students. Students will be asked to decide in a campus referendum next month whether to increase the Intercollegiate Athletics Fee by between $11.25 and $135 depending on the student’s course load. That money is slated to establish two marching bands, expand the university’s spirit program, create a women’s swimming and diving program, and create a football program over the next four years.

Edited December 30, 2021 by bolverk

[Beau Vine 54614]

On 12/16/2021 at 2:45 PM, bolverk said:

Now, the bad news. Poor Sul Ross out in Alpine is so fucked that they're desperate to join the A&M system.

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/16/sul-ross-university-pete-gallego/

I've been threatening my family for 20+ years that I'm going to take a job at Sul Ross because I love Alpine.  About 10 years ago, I was at a dean's conference and spent a bunch of time talking to an Angelo State dean.  He went on and on about what a fucked up place SRSU was, and I really haven't thought about it again until reading this.  

[bolverk 29784]

5 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

I've been threatening my family for 20+ years that I'm going to take a job at Sul Ross because I love Alpine.  About 10 years ago, I was at a dean's conference and spent a bunch of time talking to an Angelo State dean.  He went on and on about what a fucked up place SRSU was, and I really haven't thought about it again until reading this.  

Don't know the first thing about university administration - the ins, the outs, the what-have-yous. But from the very little I know, the vast majority of A&M schools in their system aside from the mothership and Tarleton aren't fairing so well. Kinda wish Sul Ross would join up with the Tech system and make a name change for obvious reasons.

Angelo State, from what little I know, has gotten, by most accounts I've heard. a nice boost since joining their system. Midwestern up in Wichita Falls is in the process of making that same transition.

[Beau Vine 54614]

15 minutes ago, bolverk said:

Don't know the first thing about university administration - the ins, the outs, the what-have-yous. But from the very little I know, the vast majority of A&M schools in their system aside from the mothership and Tarleton aren't fairing so well.

Jimbo ain't working for free, man!

[Jerry Callo 8817]

My oldest daughter (no pics) is down at UTSA this year doing the UT CAP.  I've been really impressed with the school.  Short of bombing all of her classes this spring, she'll be headed to UT next fall.  I've heard of several kids staying at UTSA instead of going to UT.  

[Guest Lobo]

What's she majoring in out of curiosity?  Or undeclared yet?

On another note, with these recent moves by Midwestern, Angelo State, possibly Sul Ross State, possibly Lamar, et. al.  We really need to finally, once and for all, think about system consolidation in this state of "limited government redundancy."  7 systems is insane and such a waste of money and resources.  

[atomheartbevo 89995]

https://www.kxan.com/news/watch-governor-abbott-in-lubbock-saturday-at-noon-for-his-celebration-of-texas-tour/

Quote

Texas Governor Greg Abbott visited Lubbock on Saturday as part of his “Celebration of Texas” tour. During the event, he made a big promise to Texas Tech University. He pledged his support for a $1 billion increase to the current Texas Tech endowment.

“We have a vision for the future of higher education in our state, and we want to make sure that all of our universities are the best universities,” Abbott said.

Quote

Abbott said when he was first elected governor, he promised to double the number of Tier One universities in Texas. Tier One is considered top-level status in the world, and it is determined by a small number of elite academic organizations. TTU has been affirmed as Tier One since 2015, according to the university’s website.

“We were behind states like California,” Abbott said. “As of today, Texas has far more than doubled the number of Tier One research universities. And as we gather here in Lubbock, Texas, today, the State of Texas now has more Tier One research universities than any other state.”

Quote

“I want the State of Texas to create an endowment for Texas Tech University of $1 billion to elevate the university even more,” Abbott told the crowd.

“… The combined asset value of the Texas Tech University System endowment has grown to more than $1.69 billion thanks to the generosity of our donors …” the university said in a 2021 endowment report.

Quote

The report provided an endowment by institution as follows:

• 60% Texas Tech University
• 16% Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
• 14% Angelo State University
• 10% Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso
• <1% Texas Tech University System

Quote

“We want the university to rank academically as high in the polls as your basketball team,” Abbot said. “That is my goal.” The Red Raiders were ranked No. 14 as of Saturday in the AP Top 25 Poll.

Quote

When asked if Texas Tech could get PUF or Permanent University Fund Money, Abbott said probably not.

“I would say the chance of that happening is about zero. However, the chances of being able to increase the endowment for Texas Tech is extremely high,” Abbott said during a one-on-one interview with KAMC reporter Ryan Chandler.

PUF has long been a sore spot for West Texans. The money is generated in West Texas and benefits both the University of Texas and Texas A&M but not Texas Tech.