SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 193

WHEREAS, Aggies and Longhorns will unite today at the State Capitol to celebrate Orange and Maroon Legislative Day 2017 and to promote higher education in the State of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Alumni from the two universities total more than 941,000, and Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin have a combined annual enrollment of more than 117,000 students and award more than 27,000 degrees each year; and

WHEREAS, The schools each boast excellent museums and libraries, including the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum in Austin, and both universities offer competitive tuition rates in order to remain accessible and affordable; and

WHEREAS, Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin are renowned for their exceptional research, and the teaching and research missions of the institutions benefit the State of Texas by advancing scientific breakthroughs, improving health care, making technological innovations, and creating successive generations of informed and engaged citizens; and

WHEREAS, Researchers at Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin explore, discover, and innovate in the sciences, arts, and humanities; together, the universities have more than 1,500 patents and more than $1.3 billion in total research expenditures; the universities drive economic prosperity in their respective regions and in the State of Texas through the generation of patents, grants, corporate start-ups, and numerous other enterprises; and

WHEREAS, Both universities serve as centers for the arts and culture, inspiring Texans to take part in the visual and performing arts and other creative endeavors; the institutions also serve as flagships for athletics and physical education, encouraging Texans to participate in physical activity and to support the student-athletes that represent the state in competition across the nation; and

WHEREAS, The universities' faculties feature Nobel laureates and nationally recognized scholars, and the student bodies include National Merit scholars, Rhodes scholars, Olympic gold medalists, and many of the Lone Star State's most promising young people; in addition, the universities offer an amazing range of postgraduate opportunities, with nearly 500 graduate degree programs; and

WHEREAS, Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin are the only two tier-one public research institutions in the State of Texas as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; these flagship universities are members of the prestigious Association of American Universities; and

WHEREAS, Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin have established themselves as preeminent institutions of higher education on the state, national, and international levels, and Texans are fortunate to have access to these two exceptional state university systems; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th Legislature, hereby recognize February 15, 2017, as Orange and Maroon Legislative Day and commend alumni from Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin for their commitment to promoting higher education in the Lone Star State; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor of this special occasion.

Zaffirini, Bettencourt, Buckingham, Campbell, Creighton, Huffines, Schwertner, Watson

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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate

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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate

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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate

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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 15, 2017.

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Secretary of the Senate