89R14400 HMR-D

By: Perry S.R. No. 232

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Distinguished representatives of the Texas Tech University System are gathering at the State Capitol on March 12, 2025, to celebrate the system's vital role in the Lone Star State; and

WHEREAS, The Texas Tech University System, governed by a nine-member board of regents and led by its chancellor, Dr. Tedd L. Mitchell, consists of Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Angelo State University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, and Midwestern State University; the system is a more than $3 billion enterprise that currently educates over 64,000 students, conducts research that results in more than $228 million in annual expenditures, and boasts over 400,000 alumni; the system has a $3 billion endowment and employs approximately 21,000 employees who are dedicated to advancing higher education, health care, research, and outreach across the state; and

WHEREAS, Established more than a century ago, Texas Tech University, the flagship institution of the Texas Tech University System, is a major comprehensive research university led by its president, Dr. Lawrence Schovanec; enrolling over 40,000 students across 10 colleges and 3 schools, the university has set fall enrollment records for nearly two decades; this year, the inaugural class of students will graduate from the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine, providing trained veterinarians to rural communities where they are needed most; in striving to become one of the nation's premier research institutions, the university has increased its total research expenditures by 50 percent in the past decade; among its many achievements, the university earned the Very High Research Activity designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, and it is one of only 135 public research institutions in the nation to achieve Tier One status; and

WHEREAS, In its 56-year history, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center has grown from a school of medicine into a comprehensive health-related institution encompassing six schools, which have trained more than 42,000 health care professionals and enrolled over 5,000 students; the institution benefits from the able leadership of its president, Dr. Lori Rice-Spearman, and it produces about 24 percent of all degrees and certificates awarded by health-related institutions in the state; in addition, the center serves as a vital health care resource for more than 10 million people across a vast 121-county area; committed to addressing critical health disparities, the university is at the forefront of rural health innovation, facilitated by the Division of Rural Affairs; with more than $233 million in research expenditures over the past five years, the university is advancing studies in aging, cancer, reproduction, parasitology, and brain diseases; and

WHEREAS, Angelo State University joined the Texas Tech University System in 2007, and under the guidance of President Ronnie D. Hawkins Jr., it currently enrolls over 11,500 students across more than 100 majors and concentrations; the university was one of the first in Texas to offer a degree in cyber defense certified by the National Security Agency; its award-winning Regional Security Operations Center, the first in the state, has become a nationwide model for public-private collaborative cybersecurity programs; Angelo State University has also become a nationally recognized leader in security studies, nursing, education, and social work, while its newest undergraduate degree program in commercial aviation is gaining prominence across the country; notably, more than 80 percent of students receive some type of financial aid, allowing many to graduate with little to no debt; the university has been named to The Princeton Review's "Best Colleges" list every year since 2010; and

WHEREAS, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso became a stand-alone institution in 2013, making it the fourth member of the Texas Tech University System; among its four endowed schools is the Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine, which opened in 2021 and has since helped to expand access to critical dental care for West Texans and address the dentist shortage in underserved communities; overseen by its president, Dr. Richard Lange, the university enrolls approximately 1,000 students, and it is home to the first medical school on the nation's southern border; over the years, the university has conducted significant research in the areas of cancer, diabetes and obesity, infectious diseases, and the neurosciences, and in 2025, it will break ground on a world-class cancer center, bringing critical comprehensive cancer care to the region; and

WHEREAS, Midwestern State University, which boasts a 100-year history of educational excellence in North Texas, became the fifth and newest addition to the Texas Tech University System in 2021; benefiting from the leadership of its president, Dr. Stacia Haynie, the university consists of six colleges and a graduate school, and it enrolls more than 5,300 students; Midwestern State University is also a key economic driver in the Wichita Falls area, contributing more than $329 million to the region and over $997 million to the state; the university pairs engaging academic programs with hands-on research opportunities that address workforce demands in STEM fields; additionally, the university has partnered with Sheppard Air Force Base to expand educational opportunities for active-duty military members and their families; and

WHEREAS, True to their missions, the Texas Tech University System and its five component institutions are enhancing higher education and health care, and their remarkable achievements and many contributions to the Lone Star State are indeed worthy of special recognition; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 89th Texas Legislature hereby recognize March 12, 2025, as Texas Tech University System Day at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting delegation.