University of Texas at Tyler

The University of Texas at Tyler (UT Tyler) is a public university in Tyler, Texas. Founded in 1971, it is a part of the University of Texas System.[6]

The University of Texas at Tyler
TypePublic university
Established1971
Parent institution
University of Texas System
Endowment$87.1 million (2019)[1]
PresidentDr. Kirk A. Calhoun, M.D.
ProvostAmir Mirmiran
Students9,927 (fall 2020)[2]
Undergraduates6,703 (fall 2020)[3]
Postgraduates2,340 (fall 2020)[4]
Location
Tyler
,
Texas
,
United States
CampusSuburban, 400 acres
ColorsOrange, White, and Blue[5]
     
AthleticsNCAA Division II – LSC
NicknamePatriots
MascotEagle
Websitewww.uttyler.edu

UT Tyler consists of five professional colleges and one traditional college of arts and sciences, offering over 90 academic degree programs at the bachelor, master, and doctoral levels. The University of Texas at Tyler is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The university had a fall 2020 student body enrollment of 9,927[7] and a 19:1 student to faculty ratio.[8] It has a park-like campus.[9]

History

The University of Texas at Tyler was founded in 1971 as Tyler State College. The school was renamed Texas Eastern University in 1975, and then joined the University of Texas System in 1979 as a result of action by the 66th Texas Legislature. Initially, UT Tyler was a "senior" level institution ("senior" as compared to community or junior colleges), teaching only upper division undergraduate courses for juniors & seniors, as well as graduate level courses, and granting bachelor's and master's degrees. Thus, until 1998, all U.T. Tyler students were transfer students from other institutions of higher learning—junior colleges or other universities. In 1997, the 75th Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1795, signed into law by Governor George W. Bush, authorizing the school to add classes for freshmen and sophomore students. As of the Fall semester 1998, UT Tyler became a 4-year and graduate institution, following the full U.S. university pattern, i.e. educating students from the freshman level through graduate and postgraduate levels.

Academics

In addition to its undergraduate programs, UT Tyler offers doctoral studies in nursing, pharmacy, and human resource development. It also offers a selective four-year honors program for high-achieving undergraduate students of all majors.[10]

Campus
The Riter Tower

UT Tyler's main campus is located on 204 acres (0.83 km2), just inside the eastern city limits of Tyler, Texas The UT Tyler campus is more than 40 years old, with a modern, master-planned and integrated architectural style of buildings. Because of vigorous growth in enrollment, many new buildings and sports facilities have been constructed at the main campus since 1996.

One of the most prominent features of the UT Tyler campus is the Riter Tower, an 88-foot (27 m) instrument featuring 57 bells. The tower was built with a $1.35 million gift from Mr. and Mrs. A.W. "Dub" Riter Jr. The bells are played with an electronic keyboard connected at sites in the music department, the administration building, or at the base of the tower.

The Herrington Patriot Center includes a state-of-the-art fitness center with cardio-theater and circuit training, racquetball courts, heated pool and spa, indoor walking/jogging track, and gymnasium/convocation area with basketball/volleyball court and seating for 2,300.

The 2,000 seat R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center attracts a wide array of cultural entertainment, and 26,000 patrons attend the performances annually.

On-campus housing options include one dormitory, Ornelas Hall, and four apartment complexes, Patriot Village, Liberty Landing and Victory Village which are owned by UT Tyler, and University Pines, which is owned by an outside company but is on university land and works in conjunction with the university.

Recently, the university added a large outdoor green space (called Patriot Plaza) for recreation and events,[11] as well as an Alumni House.[12]

Research

UT Tyler is classified among "Doctoral/Professional Universities."[13] The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (UTHSCT), which merged with UT Tyler in 2021,[14] has over $19 million in annual research expenditures.[15] Universities that award at least 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees and have at least $5 million in total research expenditures per year are in the "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" or "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity" category,[16] which suggests that a change in the Carnegie classification for UT Tyler may occur in the near future. UT Tyler has research as an integral part of its mission statement.[17]

Permanent University Fund
Main article: Permanent University Fund

UT Tyler has access to the State of Texas's Permanent University Fund (PUF), with over $24 billion in assets as of 2020. [18] These funds are primarily used for infrastructure improvements and expansion, as well as the repayment of debts.[19]

Endowment

UT Tyler has an endowment of $87.1 million as of 2019.[20] Furthermore, UT Tyler is part of the University of Texas System, which has an endowment of nearly $30 billion,[21] the most of any public university system in the world and second only to Harvard.[22]

Merger with UT Heath Science Center at Tyler

In December 2019, the UT System Board of Regents unanimously agreed to merge The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (UTHSCT) under The University of Texas at Tyler (UTT), creating a single unified institution.[23] Two months later, the UT System formally announced its intention to establish a new medical school that will be added under the new unified UT Tyler administration. It will be the first medical school in the East Texas region.[24]

On December 8, 2020, The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Schools approved a plan to merge UT Tyler and UTHSCT. UTHSCT will retain its status as a health-related institution but will now come under the administration of UT Tyler. The UT System Board of Regents met in late December 2020 and took action on the implementation of the merger which began on January 1, 2021.[25]

On January 4, 2021, the Board of Regents installed Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun, M.D. as president of the newly aligned UT Tyler and UTHSCT. As of January 4, these two institutions are officially one. On January 15, 2021 the institution publicly named the new line of executive leadership for the merged institution. [26]

The medical school is expected to open in 2023.[27]


Official name Official
abbreviations		 Location Founded Joined
system		 Merged Refs
The University of Texas at Tyler

UT Tyler

 Tyler 1971 1979 2021
(merged as The University of Texas at Tyler)		 [28][29]
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler UTHSCT

UT Health Tyler

 Tyler 1943 1977 [30][31]


Activities
Student rides in car made during art class
The Innovation Pipeline, a makerspace collaboration between UT Tyler and the City of Tyler

UT Tyler offers over 80 student organizations including Greek fraternities and sororities.

Athletics
UT Tyler Women's Basketball Team

UT Tyler competes in the Lone Star Conference of the NCAA's Division II. The current 2020–21 school year is the last of the program's planned three-year transition from Division III.[32] Both the men's and women's sports teams are referred to as the Patriots.[33]

The school does not have a football program.

UT Tyler participates in the following fifteen sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis and track & field, while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball.

Since 2005, UT Tyler student-athletes have won 29 American Southwest Conference Championships, 29 ASC East Division championships, made 32 team appearances in the NCAA postseason and had 26 students earn All-America or Academic All-America Honors.[34]

As of July 2017, the school was considering a move to Division II as a part of a strategy to be a more significant player in the region, possibly building a new athletic campus in the process.[35]

On February 2, 2018, the school formally applied for Division II status; if approved, full membership would begin on September 1, 2021. No conference affiliation was initially announced.[36] After the NCAA approved UT Tyler to begin the transition process, UT Tyler would be announced as a new member of the Lone Star Conference effective with the 2019–20 school year.[37]

Notable alumni

References
  1. https://www.utsystem.edu/sites/default/files/documents/ut-system-reports/2019/utt-university-advancement-endowment-compliance-annual-report-audit/utt-university-advancement-endowment-compliance-annual-report-audit.pdf
  2. https://www.kltv.com/2020/09/11/webxtra-ut-tyler-enrolls-record-sized-undergraduate-class-overall-enrollment-up-percent/
  3. https://www.kltv.com/2020/09/11/webxtra-ut-tyler-enrolls-record-sized-undergraduate-class-overall-enrollment-up-percent/
  4. https://www.kltv.com/2020/09/11/webxtra-ut-tyler-enrolls-record-sized-undergraduate-class-overall-enrollment-up-percent/
  5. Our Branding at The University of Texas at Tyler (PDF). February 27, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  6. "About UT Tyler". Archived from the original on 2015-11-17. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  7. https://www.kltv.com/2020/09/11/webxtra-ut-tyler-enrolls-record-sized-undergraduate-class-overall-enrollment-up-percent/
  8. https://www.uttyler.edu/academics/#:~:text=The%20University%20of%20Texas%20at,your%20education%20and%20career%20success.
  9. https://www.uttyler.edu/360/harvey-lake/
  10. https://www.uttyler.edu/honors/
  11. https://www.kltv.com/2019/09/03/ut-tyler-president-talks-about-new-plaza-campus/
  12. https://www.uttyler.edu/alumni/brick/
  23. UT System to move forward with merger of UT Tyler and Health Science Center. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  24. The University of Texas System announces intention to launch medical school in Tyler. February 6, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  25. "Statement from The University of Texas System on the merger of UT Tyler and UT Health Science Center at Tyler | University of Texas System". www.utsystem.edu. 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  26. "UT Tyler Announces Executive Leadership for Merged Institution | University of Texas at Tyler". www.uttyler.edu. 2021-01-15. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
  27. https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/local/ut-system-board-of-regents-gives-green-light-to-tyler-medical-school/501-a68fec06-570d-44f7-b824-32c30836a93d
  28. "UT Tyler Timeline". UT Tyler. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  29. UT Tyler Brand Guide (PDF). April 4, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  30. "Camp Fannin". TSHA. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  31. "East Texas Tuberculosis Sanatorium". TSHA. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  32. "UT Tyler Completes Year One of NCAA Division II Membership Process". Retrieved 2019-08-23.
  33. "Patriots Athletics". Archived from the original on 2012-08-30. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  34. "UT Tyler Athletics Championships". Archived from the original on 2012-10-30. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  35. "UT Tyler working on new strategic plan, changes to branding". Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  36. "The University of Texas at Tyler Applies for NCAA Division II Status". Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  37. "Lone Star Conference to Add UT Tyler in 2019" (Press release). Lone Star Conference. August 13, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  38. "Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Wood County since 2003". Retrieved August 23, 2019.

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