1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 74 1-3 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is proud to 1-4 recognize Southwest Texas State University on the historic 1-5 occasion of its 100th birthday; and 1-6 WHEREAS, On March 3, 1899, State Representative Fred Cocke 1-7 introduced a bill in the Texas House of Representatives to locate 1-8 a normal school in San Marcos; backed by Senator J. B. Dibrell in 1-9 the Senate, the bill was passed and signed by Governor J. D. Sayers 1-10 on May 10, 1899; and 1-11 WHEREAS, Southwest Texas Normal School opened its doors in 1-12 September, 1903, as a two-year teacher preparation institution; it 1-13 started out with 303 students and a faculty of 17; and 1-14 WHEREAS, Southwest Texas State University received university 1-15 status in 1969; today, it is a comprehensive university with an 1-16 enrollment of more than 21,000 students and offers 110 undergraduate 1-17 degree programs, 77 graduate degree programs, and doctoral programs 1-18 in environmental geography and geographic education; and 1-19 WHEREAS, Diplomas have been granted to some 100,000 graduates 1-20 of the prestigious educational institution, who have applied their 1-21 knowledge in varied careers in Texas and throughout the world; and 1-22 WHEREAS, Situated on the Balcones Fault that separates the 1-23 Texas Hill Country from the coastal plains, the original 11-acre 1-24 campus was donated by the City of San Marcos in 1899, and the 2-1 Texas Senate appropriated $35,000 to erect buildings in 1901; the 2-2 campus has expanded to 427 acres, plus more than 4,000 acres in 2-3 ranching, farming, and recreation; and 2-4 WHEREAS, The alma mater of President Lyndon B. Johnson, 2-5 Class of 1930, Southwest Texas State University boasts other 2-6 famous alumni, including singer George Strait, Olympic champion 2-7 Charles Austin, actor Powers Boothe, director Thomas Carter, and 2-8 educator Tomas Rivera; and 2-9 WHEREAS, Admissions standards for the university are among 2-10 the highest in the state for public institutions; the school 2-11 was ranked by Money magazine as one of the "best buys" among 2-12 public universities for in-state students, the only Texas school 2-13 named; it was also named one of the 12 hot spots to go to school 2-14 in Newsweek's 1998 Kaplan college issue; and 2-15 WHEREAS, The university's undergraduate geography program 2-16 is ranked first in the nation by the Association of American 2-17 Geographers; the Ph.D. program in geography was initiated in 2-18 1996; and 2-19 WHEREAS, Southwest Texas State University has received 2-20 national recognition for its School of Business as well as its 2-21 programs in physics, creative writing, jazz, marketing and 2-22 advertising, long-term health care, physical therapy, speech 2-23 therapy, polymer chemistry, aquatic biology, materials physics, 2-24 education, and numerous others; and 2-25 WHEREAS, Endowed by both private gifts and national grants, 2-26 the university has attracted outstanding faculty members to its 3-1 campus; nine have been named Piper Professors and two have been 3-2 named the best in the nation by their professional organizations; 3-3 and 3-4 WHEREAS, All Texans can take pride in the growth and 3-5 development of this excellent educational institution as it 3-6 celebrates its centennial anniversary; now, therefore, be it 3-7 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 3-8 76th Legislature, hereby designate March 3, 1999, as Southwest 3-9 Texas State University Day in the Texas Legislature and extend 3-10 best wishes to its faculty, students, and staff for a most 3-11 joyous and heartwarming anniversary celebration; and, be it further 3-12 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for the 3-13 occasion as an expression of the high regard of the Texas Senate. 3-14 Armbrister 3-15 ______________________________________ 3-16 President of the Senate 3-17 I hereby certify that the above 3-18 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-19 on January 25, 1999. 3-20 ______________________________________ 3-21 Secretary of the Senate 3-22 ______________________________________ 3-23 Member, Texas Senate