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Public university system in Texas

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. 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. The system owns and manages a 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.

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. 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). The Legislature authorized the establishment of Sul Ross Normal College and the purchase of the private East Texas Normal College, founded in 1889, in 1917 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. Further legislation in 1923 renamed the system's members again to state teachers colleges while the board was renamed the Board of Regents, State Teachers Colleges. Sul Ross and West Texas received name changes in 1949 becoming Sul Ross State College and West Texas State College. North Texas would leave the system the same year becoming independently governed North Texas State College. 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. 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 while East Texas (Texas A&M Commerce) and West Texas (West Texas A&M) 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 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. 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. 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. Sam Houston State operated an additional branch, the University Park Campus at Lone Star College–University Park near Tomball from 2011 until it was discontinued at the beginning of 2016.

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 Name Location(Population) Founded Joinedsystem EnrollmentFall 2015 Carnegie classification Nickname Athleticconference Lamar Institute of Technology Beaumont118,296 1990 1995 5,035 Associate's Colleges:High Career & Technical High Traditional No intercollegiate athletics Lamar State College Orange Orange18,595 1969 1995 3,022 Associate's Colleges:High Career & Technical High Traditional Lamar State College Port Arthur Port Arthur53,818 1909 1995 2,988 Special Focus Two Year:Health Professions Seahawks Southwest JCCNJCAA Div. I