By Counts H.R. No. 469 76R9556 BE-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, For more than 30 years, institutions in the Texas 1-2 State Technical College (TSTC) System have provided essential 1-3 training and education, greatly benefiting students and state 1-4 industries alike; and 1-5 WHEREAS, Created by the Texas Legislature in 1965 as the 1-6 James Connally Technical Institute, this noted precursor to TSTC 1-7 was established to meet the evolving employment needs of Texas 1-8 workers and businesses; and 1-9 WHEREAS, Located at the former James Connally Air Force Base 1-10 in Waco, the school expanded after great intial success, opening a 1-11 second campus in Harlingen in 1967; Amarillo and Sweetwater 1-12 centers were created in 1970, and by 1991, extension centers had 1-13 been established in McAllen, Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood, and 1-14 Marshall; and 1-15 WHEREAS, The name of the institute was changed in 1991, but 1-16 the schools have maintained their focus on high-priority technical 1-17 skills through strategic links with industry partners and 1-18 employers, providing TSTC students across the state with specific 1-19 education and job opportunities; and 1-20 WHEREAS, TSTC has been recognized as the third largest 1-21 engineering technology institution in the U.S. by the American 1-22 Association of Engineering Societies and has been named among the 1-23 top 50 associate degree and certificate producing two-year colleges 1-24 by Community College Week magazine for six consecutive years; and 2-1 WHEREAS, With nearly 13,000 students in degree and 2-2 certificate programs and 16,000 others in adult, continuing 2-3 education, and industry training programs, enrollment in the TSTC 2-4 System has grown almost 30 percent in the last six years; and 2-5 WHEREAS, The system's network of administrators, educators, 2-6 staff, and students, in tandem with business and industry leaders 2-7 from all regions of the Lone Star State, has accomplished much in 2-8 three decades, and it is justly fitting to honor the many 2-9 contributions and successes of the TSTC System at this time; now, 2-10 therefore, be it 2-11 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas 2-12 Legislature hereby recognize April 14, 1999, as Texas State 2-13 Technical College Day at the Capitol and extend to all those 2-14 associated with this prominent educational system warmest best 2-15 wishes for even greater success in the years to come; and, be it 2-16 further 2-17 RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared 2-18 for the members of the TSTC Board of Regents and for the directors 2-19 of the TSTC Foundation as an expression of high regard by the Texas 2-20 House of Representatives.