SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 563
         WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
  recognize Texas State Technical College on the occasion of its
  50th anniversary and to join citizens from across the state in
  celebrating April 22, 2015, as Texas State Technical College Day
  at the State Capitol; and
 
         WHEREAS, This unique educational institution was created
  by the 59th Texas Legislature, and the original legislation that
  created the school was signed into law by Governor John Connally
  on April 22, 1965; and
 
         WHEREAS, The James Connally Technical Institute of Texas
  A&M University was intended from the start to be, in the words of
  Governor Connally, "the most sophisticated technical-vocational
  institute in the country"; and
 
         WHEREAS, Under the leadership of its first director,
  Dr. Roy Dugger, the institute opened its first campus at the
  former James Connally Air Force Base in Waco, and in 1967, it
  opened a bilingual technical institute at the former Harlingen
  Air Force Base; and
 
         WHEREAS, The James Connally Technical Institute was made
  independent of Texas A&M University in 1969 and renamed the Texas
  State Technical Institute; over the next two decades, the success
  of the school led to the creation of additional campuses in
  Amarillo, Sweetwater, McAllen, Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood,
  and Marshall; and
 
         WHEREAS, In 1991, the Texas Legislature elevated the
  status of the campuses, designating them as two-year technical
  colleges with a new name, Texas State Technical College, and in
  2013, the funding method for the Texas State Technical College
  System was placed on a "returned-value" basis, making it the
  first college system in the nation whose funding depends entirely
  on student success; in the years since that change, Texas State
  Technical College has seen a 23 percent increase in student
  awards, and a 60 percent increase in first-year earnings for
  graduates; and
 
         WHEREAS, Today, working in close collaboration with
  industry, government agencies, and other institutions of higher
  learning, the 11 locations of the Texas State Technical College
  System across the Lone Star State offer vocational students 124
  associate degrees and 133 certificate programs and prepare
  students for successful, well-paying careers by maintaining a
  focus on excellence in technical education; and
 
         WHEREAS, During its first half-century, the Texas State
  Technical College System has produced nearly 100,000 graduates
  and has truly lived up to the vision of its founders by becoming
  one of the most sophisticated technical and vocational
  institutions in the nation; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th
  Legislature, hereby designate April 22, 2015, as Texas State
  Technical College Day at the State Capitol and extend to the
  college's administration, staff, and students sincere best wishes
  for a memorable 50th anniversary celebration; and, be it further
 
         RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
  Texas State Technical College as a memento of this special day.
 
  Birdwell
 
 
Eltife Kolkhorst Perry
 
Fraser Lucio Schwertner
 
Huffman Zaffirini
 
  Patrick, President of the Senate
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        President of the Senate
     
        I hereby certify that the
    above Resolution was adopted by
    the Senate on April 14, 2015.
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        Secretary of the Senate
   
   
    ________________________________ 
         Member, Texas Senate