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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Stephen F. Austin State University is marking the |
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100th anniversary of its founding in 2023; and |
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WHEREAS, Chartered in 1917 as Stephen F. Austin State |
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Teachers College, the school was named in honor of the "Father of |
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Texas," and the site selected for the campus was the homestead of |
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Thomas J. Rusk and property previously owned by Sam Houston, both |
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of whom were the first United States Senators from Texas; the State |
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Board of Regents selected Nacogdoches as the location of the new |
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school due in part to its significance as the oldest town in Texas; |
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the college opened in 1923, with 270 students meeting in an old |
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one-room schoolhouse until the Austin Building at the new campus |
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was completed the following year; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the past century, SFA has become a vital part of |
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the economy and culture of East Texas, and it has been named the top |
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rural-serving institution of its size in the state by the Alliance |
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for Research on Regional Colleges; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, Stephen F. Austin State University serves |
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more than 11,300 students and offers over 120 majors and areas of |
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study across its six colleges; the institution boasts 18 Division I |
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intercollegiate sports teams for men and women, which further |
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enhance the student experience, provide opportunities for |
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student-athletes from across the state, and bring pride to the |
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region; in addition, the university has become an arts and |
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entertainment destination, hosting a variety of theatrical, |
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musical, and speaking events on campus; and |
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WHEREAS, Since its founding 100 years ago, Stephen F. Austin |
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State University has provided generations of Texans with a strong |
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foundation for achievement and contributed greatly to the |
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prosperity and vitality of East Texas, and the university's |
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students, faculty, staff, and alumni may indeed take great pride in |
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their rich history while looking forward to an even brighter |
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future; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the centennial of Stephen F. Austin |
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State University and extend to all those associated with the school |
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sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Stephen F. Austin State University as an expression of |
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high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |