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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Students, faculty, and staff from Tarleton State |
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University are gathering in Austin on March 21, 2017, in |
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celebration of Tarleton State University's centennial as the |
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founding member of The Texas A&M University System and Tarleton |
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State University Day at the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, The school was established in 1899 as John Tarleton |
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College, a four-year liberal arts college, with an endowment from a |
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Stephenville landowner and namesake; and |
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WHEREAS, Tarleton's ninth president, James F. Cox, rallied |
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community support and encouraged Texas Agricultural and Mechanical |
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College president W. B. Bizzell and the Texas Legislature to form a |
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union between Tarleton and the strong state institution that would |
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become Texas A&M University; and |
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WHEREAS, During the 35th Legislature, elected officials and |
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leaders from the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College visited |
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Stephenville to tour newly purchased farmland and review the |
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college facilities and endowment in consideration of Tarleton's |
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proposal to join Texas A&M; and |
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WHEREAS, John Tarleton Agricultural College was incorporated |
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into The Texas A&M University System in 1917 and served as a |
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two-year institution until 1959, when it again extended its |
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academic programs to a four-year curriculum; the present-day name |
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was adopted in 1973, when the school gained university status; and |
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WHEREAS, Much of Tarleton State University's history and |
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traditions have been shaped by its association with Texas A&M |
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University, especially in the agricultural, mechanical, and |
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military sciences; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1999, the Texas Legislature entrusted Tarleton |
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State University with the establishment of Tarleton Central Texas, |
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which became Texas A&M Central Texas 10 years later; and |
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WHEREAS, With campuses in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, and |
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Midlothian, Tarleton's enrollment surpasses 13,000 students |
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distributed among 7 colleges and 250 academic programs; and |
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WHEREAS, Under the leadership of current president Dr. F. |
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Dominic Dottavio, and through the backing of The Texas A&M |
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University System Board of Regents and chancellor John Sharp, |
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Tarleton will break ground on the first building of a permanent |
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center in Fort Worth; and |
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WHEREAS, Long known for service to first-generation college |
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students, personal attention, warmth, and a faculty and staff focus |
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on students, Tarleton is diligent in its efforts to remain one of |
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the most efficient and affordable universities in the state and |
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across the nation, while maintaining one of the fastest growth |
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rates among universities in Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, A forward-looking institution with a long history |
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and rich traditions, Tarleton State University continues to provide |
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its students with an outstanding education and a solid foundation |
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for achievement; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize March 21, 2017, as Tarleton State |
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University Day at the State Capitol and congratulate Tarleton State |
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University on its Centennial Celebration as a member of The Texas |
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A&M University System. |