The University of Texas or The University of Texas at Austin?

[Pancho 44,856]

I got into a discussion with a colleague (she also went to UT) and she mentioned that she always says "The University of Texas at Austin" when in formal settings (like on documents and shit) because that's the official name of the university, noting that's how it's mentioned on the website and in all official marketing. 

I didn't disagree with her as that's what I heard as well, but I still maintain that when you say "The University of Texas" to anyone outside of the state, they know what that is/who we are.

Which do you use to people outside of the state? 

(sidenote: I've only met 1 person ever who when I said The University of Texas their first reply was "at Arlington?!?!?" and I immediately walked away from the conversation.)

 

[GreenspointTexas 9,616]

I say UT when in Texas

and “Texas” when out of state

[Deej 76,820]

Pics of colleague?

[UTGrad98 2,280]

I say UT everywhere. They better damn well know what I'm talking about. And they do. 

[mchookem 16,336]

yep...UT or just Texas.

[YGIFS 19,450]

 Certain flagship schools have different ways of self-identification.  Almost nobody that is a Wolverine alum says, "UM" or "U of M", it's always Michigan.  Nobody says "University of California", it's "Cal" or "Berkeley."  Illini don't say, "U.I." or "Illinois-Urbana/Champaign", it's "U of I."  When I'm outta state, I'll say either "UT" or "Texas", usually Texas.  When I'm within our borders, it's always "UT."  They all make sense in their own way.  

What has never made any fucking sense to me is whey University of Oklahoma is "OU" and not "UO"   Same with KU, CU, and NU.  And they all have the same justification "Well, that's how all the other schools do it" as if that is some valid rationale.  There are a handful of state flagships that are actually chartered that way, "IU" is actually called "The Indiana University", same with "Ohio University" (there is no such place as University of Ohio), and WVU (there is no University of West Virginia).  There is no such place as the University of New Jersey.  

We are "Texas" or "UT", always and forever.  Only the Board of Regents has to make that "UT-Austin" or "UT-Arlington" differentiation for political reasons.  Aggies and anybody else who doesn't get that can get fucked.  Now if you'll excuse my rant, I have to write my application essays for Wisconsin State University.  

Edited October 12, 2023 by YGIFS

[TornACL 7,698]

I have been in the Metroplex about 20+ years and on quite a few occasions when I say I went to UT, the other person responds "UT Arlington?"

No offense, but no, mother fucker. 

So sometimes up here I will say UT Austin.

Otherwise it's UT or Texas.

[Pancho 44,856]

3 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

 Certain flagship schools have different ways of self-identification.  Almost nobody that is a Wolverine alum says, "UM" or "U of M", it's always Michigan.  Nobody says "University of California", it's "Cal" or "Berkeley."  Illini don't say, "U.I." or "Illinois-Urbana/Champaign", it's "U of I."  When I'm outta state, I'll say either "UT" or "Texas", usually Texas.  When I'm within our borders, it's always "UT."  They all make sense in their own way.  

What has never made any fucking sense to me is whey University of Oklahoma is "OU" and not "UO"   Same with KU, CU, and NU.  And they all have the same justification "Well, that's how all the other schools do it" as if that is some valid rationale.  There are a handful of state flagships that are actually chartered that way, "IU" is actually called "The Indiana University", same with "Ohio University" (there is no such place as University of Ohio), and WVU (there is no University of West Virginia).  There is no such place as the University of New Jersey.  

We are "Texas" or "UT", always and forever.  Only the Board of Regents has to make that differentiation for political reasons.  Aggies and anybody else who doesn't get that can get fucked.  Now if you'll excuse my rant, I have to write my application essays for Wisconsin State University.  

 

I get that, but when writing a document with your credentials, I can't just say "Texas" as it needs to be formal. I've just always left of the "at Austin" part because I thought it was redundant. I get why The University uses the "at Austin" part though.

[South Austin 52,518]

Between the two choices in the poll I say The University of Texas, but usually I just say Texas. And that’s whether I’m in Texas or some other state.  Nobody questions leaving of the Austin part.

North Carolina is similar. Tar Heel grads will say UNC or North Carolina (usually the former), but never feel the need to say UNC Chapel Hill to distinguish from UNC Wilmington or UNC Greensboro.

[Captain Ron 12,883]

Live in Boston. I say I went to Texas. If I am being formal I would say The University of Texas. I’ve never felt the need to qualify it with Austin.

[South Austin 52,518]

2 minutes ago, Pancho said:

I get that, but when writing a document with your credentials, I can't just say "Texas" as it needs to be formal. I've just always left of the "at Austin" part because I thought it was redundant. I get why The University uses the "at Austin" part though.

Yeah, when putting my educational history on a resume or website bio, I always leave out “at Austin,” and most other Texas grads do as well (based on my completely nonscientific polling).

[YGIFS 19,450]

On a written document, I would still just write "University of Texas."  If it's something, on the rare occasion, I'm writing up for correspondence on campus or within the system, out of respect to the Regents/System office, I'll type "University of Texas at Austin", maybe "UT-Austin", but I don't really think that's an accepted shorthand.  They started this shit like 20-25 years ago with the Regent-appropriated marketing and synchronized materials where everything outward facing had to be (imagine Cronkite voice in your head), "The University of Texas...at Austin."  And then hoped the other campuses would follow.  But it never really took off.  All that time and effort, and what from those entrenched in higher ed to the casual collegiate sports fan...they all stick with non-conformist shorthand names, even on formal correspondence with non-academics.

The University of Texas at Austin is "UT", "Texas", and then a distant third "UT-Austin" 

UT-Arlington, UT-Dallas, and UT-Tyler kinda follow the model the closest, as intended.  

UTEP, never goes by UT-El Paso for obvious phonetic reasons.  UTSA is never written with a hyphen or said out loud as two syllables like "You-Tepp" is.  UT-PB, unlike these other two is typically written with a hyphen.  UT-RGV, as well.  I don't know that I've ever seen them spelled out on anything from letterhead to campus buildings.  

But again, the flagship.  Verbal communications, "UT", "Texas", then "UT-Austin" way behind.  Written/printed/schwag/collateral---"UT-Austin" & "The University of Texas at Austin", never just "UT."  Though in this particular capital campaign, it's constantly just "Texas"...for obvious fundraising reasons.  

I think they know but nobody would reveal it after several beverages before OU game at 9:30am what they're gonna call Stephen F. Austin one day soon.  

[Dbeasy 15,067]

I didn’t read the first post before answering the question. I thought it was with respect to jobs. In general I just say Texas. 

[Royalfan5 2,354]

13 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

 Certain flagship schools have different ways of self-identification.  Almost nobody that is a Wolverine alum says, "UM" or "U of M", it's always Michigan.  Nobody says "University of California", it's "Cal" or "Berkeley."  Illini don't say, "U.I." or "Illinois-Urbana/Champaign", it's "U of I."  When I'm outta state, I'll say either "UT" or "Texas", usually Texas.  When I'm within our borders, it's always "UT."  They all make sense in their own way.  

What has never made any fucking sense to me is whey University of Oklahoma is "OU" and not "UO"   Same with KU, CU, and NU.  And they all have the same justification "Well, that's how all the other schools do it" as if that is some valid rationale.  There are a handful of state flagships that are actually chartered that way, "IU" is actually called "The Indiana University", same with "Ohio University" (there is no such place as University of Ohio), and WVU (there is no University of West Virginia).  There is no such place as the University of New Jersey.  

We are "Texas" or "UT", always and forever.  Only the Board of Regents has to make that "UT-Austin" or "UT-Arlington" differentiation for political reasons.  Aggies and anybody else who doesn't get that can get fucked.  Now if you'll excuse my rant, I have to write my application essays for Wisconsin State University.  

I’ll note that at least for Nebraska, that NU is almost exclusively used for athletics. Within the state it’s either UNL or simply the U. 

[YGIFS 19,450]

And what's that "N.U." stand for?  You guess it, "kNUwledge"  

Yeah, to Pancho's point.  It's a whole other thing.  There's official/unofficial college correspondence titling.  Then there's what's on the crest/diplomas/seals/charters/etc.  Then there's how alumni/students say it/write it.  Then there's how just sports fans/rivals say it/write it.  And then finally how everybody says it when they're nowhere near the fucking place and just need to reference it in an a conversation for some reason.  It's a conundrum for most state university systems who want to have consistency but a certain shorthand just takes off and you can't walk it back.  Cal State-Fullerton, Cal State-San Diego, & Cal State-Long Beach are all correct and all parts of the same system.  But they'll always be known to everybody else in America as Cal State-Fullerton, San Diego State, and Long Beach State for almost no reason.  Nobody ever says Cal State-Fresno or Cal State-Chico, but it's Fresno State and Chicago State.  Likewise, there's no Bakersfield State---it's Cal State-Bakersfield.  Really the only larger system where it seems to be uniform (more than just 2 or 3 campuses) is Wisconsin.  All of the 10+ campuses go by "UW-xyz", from LaCrosse to Green Bay to Milwaukee.  Even the flagship is more often referred to as "UW-Madison" than just "Wisconsin" (again except for maybe out of state business travel).  But it's easier for them because it's a big state, big system, but just the one set of schools.  

The State of Texas is a shitshow with 7 systems and many of our systems have schools that aren't anywhere near their fucking system name.  UH-Victoria?  Really?  Midwestern State?  West Texas A&M is so far north, it's practically in Kansas.  But another story for another time.

[South Austin 52,518]

Do most aggys say TAMUCS, or just ayunem?

[tx 3 putt 76,988]

51 minutes ago, UTGrad98 said:

I say UT everywhere. They better damn well know what I'm talking about. And they do. 

UT is Tennessee in the SEC 

[Not a cat 5,659]

On a resume I always added Austin, didn't want them thinking I went to the non flagship.  Out of state in conversation I say Texas, in state I say UT.

[Captain Ron 12,883]

31 minutes ago, Pancho said:

 

I get that, but when writing a document with your credentials, I can't just say "Texas" as it needs to be formal. I've just always left of the "at Austin" part because I thought it was redundant. I get why The University uses the "at Austin" part though.

If you’re talking pure formality, then I include at Austin. On my resume I have it as The University of Texas at Austin. If I was giving a speech and there was an introduction of me that included my college, I would have it said that way too.

[Steel Shank 9,428]

1 hour ago, Pancho said:

(sidenote: I've only met 1 person ever who when I said The University of Texas their first reply was "at Arlington?!?!?" and I immediately walked away from the conversation.)

cold-blooded

[Hefeweizen 5,327]

Texas.  That’s all you need to say.  It’s the only Texas school besides Rice that registers out of state with most people.  Although I know quite a few rich white people here in Cali who send their kids to SMU.

[The Gimp 346]

5 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

UT is Tennessee in the SEC 

That will change. Give us time.

[atomheartbevo 89,716]

51 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

Live in Boston. I say I went to Texas. If I am being formal I would say The University of Texas. I’ve never felt the need to qualify it with Austin.

[hobbes2702 13,045]

I say Texas. I’ll say UT around family but that’s about it. The other schools in the system get the extra stuff. UTSA, UTD, UTA etc. It’s not disrespectful or anything to UTSA or UTD imo

 

[F250 28,777]

29 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

UT is Tennessee in the SEC 

For now.

[BrazilHorn 6,612]

There is one University of Texas. The rest are vassals that need to explain their place in eco-system. 

[Pancho 44,856]

Edited the post for clarity. 

[DaysOff 7,951]

Inside state: Texas

Outside state or with morons: UT Austin

[Slacks 6,821]

"Welcome to TEX.The Telephone Enrollment Exchange at the University of Texas at Austin." 

[Nicole44 22,060]

5 minutes ago, Slacks said:

"Welcome to TEX.The Telephone Enrollment Exchange at the University of Texas at Austin." 

Triggered! This class is FULL. 
 

apart from job applications on a drop down type deal where they make you select UT at Austin it’s University of Texas. We are the flagship school man. If it’s not the flagship then say UT at whatever other city. 

[Born to Run 6,569]

I say UT everywhere in domestically. University of Texas abroad. I wrote checks for tuition to The University of Texas at Austin in the 90s. $1500 was an excellent deal.

[flatdawgs 1,278]

Interesting topic. Out here in the PNW we would use "Texas" and everyone would know what it meant (in context of course). So: "Did you see the Texas - Texas A&M game? They've gotta fire Jimbo after that shitshow." (As college football fans, "A&M" would also get that point across; with our group "aggy" is understood.)

Washington is nearly always "UDub." More formally, Washington works; on CVs, etc. "University of Washington". For other system schools it's UDub-Tacoma, etc.  WSU is Wazzu. (One of their former presidents tried to put a stop to that, saying it wasn't dignified; one of the few things to bring Huskies and Cougs together was laughing him out of the state.) UC-Berkeley is Cal. I don't know what the grads there use, but here Arizona is usually "Zona", sometimes UA.

The old Big-8 was messed up. Nobody has ever been able to explain to me CU, NU, MU, KU, OU.

Also interesting was the comment on Wisconsin - I've always just said "Wisconsin" but with a system that size, UW-Madison makes sense.

I suppose most places other than P12 or B12 country, OSU = Ohio State; here OSU means Oregon State and the others are "Ohio State" and "Oklahoma State". I'd imagine it works the same way down there for OSU = Oklahoma State. 

[Rimbo 25,973]

I just say "The University" and if they don't know what I mean, there's no point in embarrassing them.

[bolverk 29,683]

2 hours ago, Nicole44 said:

Triggered! This class is FULL. 

You almost got that right. It was really: "This class is...

 

 

 

 

(wait for it)

 

 

 

 

 

(almost there)

 

 

 

 

 

 

FULL.

Goodbye, and good luck.

23 minutes ago, flatdawgs said:

The old Big-8 was messed up. Nobody has ever been able to explain to me CU, NU, MU, KU, OU.

I think I've seen there's some link to IU being officially named Indiana University, and all those old Big 8 schools were traditionally viewed as Midwestern, even though their official names are all University of _________. It might've been in one of Randolph Duke's polemics regarding aNm's insistence on calling Texas "TU" but don't quote me on that.

[RPM 26,322]

It's just Texas or UT. I rarely hear University of Texas - Arlington. It's UTA. People calling it different are just yankees.

[BigHorn'13 3,368]

5 hours ago, Not a cat said:

On a resume I always added Austin, didn't want them thinking I went to the non flagship.  Out of state in conversation I say Texas, in state I say UT.

This shit right here

[Nicole44 22,060]

1 hour ago, bolverk said:

You almost got that right. It was really: "This class is...

 

 

 

 

(wait for it)

 

 

 

 

 

(almost there)

 

 

 

 

 

 

FULL.

Goodbye, and good luck.

I think I've seen there's some link to IU being officially named Indiana University, and all those old Big 8 schools were traditionally viewed as Midwestern, even though their official names are all University of _________. It might've been in one of Randolph Duke's polemics regarding aNm's insistence on calling Texas "TU" but don't quote me on that.

I’m laughing so hard right now. Yes…this class is….FULL. A couple of things: so if you were lucky enough to get a class or two in there before hitting the “full” jackpot I’d hit list schedule to buy time. I think you were allowed 3x to do this shit before Tex would just say goodbye and hang up on your ass. But still, that frantic flipping through stuff trying to find anything so Tex wouldn’t tell you goodbye is still hilarious and triggering at same time. 

[Captainant 27,680]

UT is THE University of Texas. Maybe if we're talking about multiple campuses, I'll specifically say "UT Austin" but naw dawg. We're Texas. 

[SimonBolivar 10,958]

The University of Texas at Austin is a mouthfull. Just cut that down and tell people you went to UTA. I'm sure that'll go great in interviews.

Edited October 12, 2023 by SimonBolivar

[Neonmoon 38,129]

Texas 

I said it when I lived in Texas and now where I live outside of Texas. Everyone knows what school I’m talking about. 

[52-80 19,162]

contextual.  depends on who knows and cares. 

on ultra-formal docs i use the full "at Austin". 

most people i talk to day to day are not americans, so its just university of texas ("not the A&M one, its in Austin")

[Pancho 44,856]

Yes saying Texas verbally in conversation is fine. That’s what I do.

This is more for bios and work doc shit where I have to name all of my degrees and universities. 

[Jerry Callo 8,704]

At the law school, we were told "The University of Texas School of Law" was the proper and only way to identify it.  Not sure if that has changed, but probably not since none of the satellite schools have a law school.  I would never add "at Austin" to that.

Hook'em

[atomheartbevo 89,716]

50 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

Texas 

I said it when I lived in Texas and now where I live outside of Texas. Everyone knows what school I’m talking about. 

There's a mullet contest going on right now (ends tomorrow, you vote online) and nobody is asking this proud own of a "Texas Tailgate"  if the Texas on that jersey is for UT-Arlington or UTSA or UTEP

https://www.mulletchamp.com/mens_mullets/brandon-hernandez-texas-tailgate/

 

[texasdago 7,575]

Texas or UT.  The others are satellites... if you go there, great... they're nice schools.  They're not Texas.

[MrBig 5,414]

There was a Netflix show where you spot the phony. The girl came out and said she went to The University of Texas at Austin. I knew right away she was the phony. 

[South Austin 52,518]

4 hours ago, Pancho said:

This is more for bios and work doc shit where I have to name all of my degrees and universities. 

In my bios I always say that I got my bachelor’s, master’s, PhD, law degree, and medical degree from The University of Texas.

[Captain Ron 12,883]

14 hours ago, Nicole44 said:

Triggered! This class is FULL. 
 

apart from job applications on a drop down type deal where they make you select UT at Austin it’s University of Texas. We are the flagship school man. If it’s not the flagship then say UT at whatever other city. 

 

11 hours ago, bolverk said:

You almost got that right. It was really: "This class is...

 

 

 

 

(wait for it)

 

 

 

 

 

(almost there)

 

 

 

 

 

 

FULL.

Goodbye, and good luck.

I think I've seen there's some link to IU being officially named Indiana University, and all those old Big 8 schools were traditionally viewed as Midwestern, even though their official names are all University of _________. It might've been in one of Randolph Duke's polemics regarding aNm's insistence on calling Texas "TU" but don't quote me on that.

Also close, but wrong.

"Course

 

Mathematics

Four Zero EIght

Unique Number

ThreeFive

Seven Six Three

With a meeting time of 

Monday Wednesday Friday 8 AM

 

 

 

Has not been added

 

The section you have requested is full

 

 

[jeevsie 3,734]

My class ring says The University of Texas.  My understanding is it was one of the last years before we went to an "Official" ring that says The University of Texas at Austin.  Still love that about my ring.

[Nicole44 22,060]

I remember throwing my cordless (damn I’m old) phone across the room when I tried to add two backup classes and they were both full. Nearly broke the fucker. Meanwhile down the hall in the dorm you could hear other people yelling, “Fuck you I need this class, you insensitive fuck! Damnit”

TEX was a damn beating at my time at The University of Texas.