, mottoeng = Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.
, established =
, closed = (merged with
UT–Pan American to form The
UTRGV)
, type =
Public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichk ...
State University
A state university system in the United States is a group of public universities supported by an individual state, territory or federal district. These systems constitute the majority of public-funded universities in the country.
State univer ...
, president = William Fannin
, endowment = US$12.5
million
, provost = Alan F. J. Artibise
, city =
Brownsville, Texas
, country = U.S.
, students = 8,612 (fall 2013)
, faculty = 279 (=fall 2013)
, administrative_staff = 1,326
, campus = Urban,
, athletics_affiliations =
Red River Athletic ConferenceNational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its st ...
, former_names =
, sports_nickname = Ocelots
, mascot = Ozzie the Ocelot
, colors =
, parent =
UT System
, logo = UTBrownsville wordmark.png
, website =
, free = ''UTB Collegian''
, free_label = Newspaper
The University of Texas at Brownsville (abbreviated as UTB and formerly known as the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College
TB/TSC was an educational institution located in
Brownsville, Texas. The university was on the land once occupied by
Fort Brown
Fort Brown (originally Fort Texas) was a military post of the United States Army in Cameron County, Texas, during the latter half of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. Established in 1846, it was the first US Army military ...
. It was a member of the
University of Texas System
The University of Texas System (UT System) is an American government entity of the state of Texas that includes 13 higher educational institutions throughout the state including eight universities and five independent health institutions. The UT& ...
. The institution was formed from a 1991 partnership between the two-year
Texas Southmost College and University of Texas-Pan American at Brownsville. The partnership ended in 2011 as UTB became a standalone University of Texas institution, and Texas Southmost College returned to being an independent community college. UTB itself offered baccalaureate and graduate degrees in liberal arts, sciences, education, business, and professional programs.
In 2015, the UT Brownsville merged with
UT–Pan American, to form The
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is a public research university with multiple campuses throughout the Rio Grande Valley region of Texas and is the southernmost member of the University of Texas System. The University of Texas ...
.
History
Texas Southmost College
Texas Southmost College (TSC) was established in 1926 under the name "The Junior College of the Lower Rio Grande Valley." It admitted its first class on September 21 of that same year. In 1931, its name was changed to "Brownsville Junior College." In 1950, the institution was given the name, Texas Southmost College.
University of Texas-Pan American at Brownsville
In 1973, Texas Southmost College formed a partnership with Pan-American University, later known as the
University of Texas-Pan American
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...
(UTPA). The partnership allowed Pan-American University to establish a four-year university in Brownsville. The resulting independent institution was referred to as Pan American University at Brownsville. In 1989, Pan American University joined the
University of Texas System
The University of Texas System (UT System) is an American government entity of the state of Texas that includes 13 higher educational institutions throughout the state including eight universities and five independent health institutions. The UT& ...
, creating the University of Texas Pan-American at Brownsville (UTPA-B). Brownsville sought a university directly under the UT System and in 1991 the University of Texas Pan-American at Brownsville became the University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB).
University of Texas at Brownsville-Texas Southmost College
After UTB was created, a partnership was established between UTB and TSC, allowing TSC students to seamlessly transition to the four year University without reapplying. The university has academic colleges including business, education, liberal arts and nursing. UTB-TSC's funding came from both the college tax district as well as the State of Texas. After failure to pass a 2002 multimillion-dollar bond, the TSC tax district voters successfully passed a $68 million bond issue to construct additional classrooms ($28 million), additional library space ($14 million), Workforce Training Classrooms ($17 million), Center for Early Childhood Studies ($4 million), and Center for Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Cancer, and Heart Disease ($5 million).
Juliet V. García served as UTB-TSC President from 1991 to 2011; Garcia was the first Hispanic woman to be the president of a college or university in the United States.
End of educational partnership with Texas Southmost College
On November 10, 2010, the University of Texas System Board of Regents voted to end the University of Texas at Brownsville's educational partnership with Texas Southmost College. On February 17, 2011, the TSC Board of Trustees voted 4–3 to separate from UTB.
Merger with UTPA and Medical School
On December 6, 2012, the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System approved a proposal to merge UTB, the
University of Texas–Pan American
, mottoeng = Education, the Guardian of Society
, established =
, closed =
, type = Public university
, endowment = $65 million
, president = Dr. Havidan Rodriguez ...
, and a planned medical school into one regional institution. On December 12, 2013, the UT Board of Regents voted to name the new university The
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is a public research university with multiple campuses throughout the Rio Grande Valley region of Texas and is the southernmost member of the University of Texas System. The University of Texas ...
.
Previous names
The name of the institution evolved over the years:
*1926–1931: The Junior College of the Lower Rio Grande Valley
*1931–1949: Brownsville Junior College
*1949–1992: Texas Southmost College
*1992–2013: The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College
*2013–2015: The University of Texas at Brownsville
Presidents
Admissions
Until the fall of 2011, UT Brownsville had open admissions, meaning prospective students had no admissions criteria.
In August 2011 the
University of Texas System
The University of Texas System (UT System) is an American government entity of the state of Texas that includes 13 higher educational institutions throughout the state including eight universities and five independent health institutions. The UT& ...
Board of Regents approved new admission standards for UT Brownsville, and awaited the approval of the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
[NEW UT BROWNSVILLE ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS]
"
Archive
University of Texas at Brownsville. Retrieved on September 18, 2012. Click on the orange "NEW UT BROWNSVILLE FRESHMAN ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS" to see the date when open admissions begins. The restricted UT Brownsville admissions began in the fall of 2013.
[
]
Campus
UTB's campus sat on 524 acres (2.3 km2) of land in the southern part of Brownsville, Texas, the part closest to the border with Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. A resaca, or oxbow lake, flows through the heart of the growing landscape. The university's unique architecture plays off the campus's rich history in Fort Brown
Fort Brown (originally Fort Texas) was a military post of the United States Army in Cameron County, Texas, during the latter half of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. Established in 1846, it was the first US Army military ...
. Many of the oldest buildings on campus remain from the old U.S. Army outpost. The university has also acquired many buildings in the surrounding area, including a former Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is an American chain of hotels based in Atlanta, Georgia. and a brand of IHG Hotels & Resorts. The chain was founded in 1952 by Kemmons Wilson, who opened the first location in Memphis, Tennessee that year. The chain was a division ...
hotel complex, former condominiums, the Amigoland Mall
Amigoland Mall ("Amigo" means "friend" in Spanish) was an enclosed shopping mall located in Brownsville, Texas. The former mall, which now houses a tech center, is now called the Brownsville ITEC Center.
The mall, developed by Melvin Simon & A ...
, and many historic buildings of downtown Brownsville. The university continues to expand, recently purchasing substantial acreage east of Fort Brown.
Academics
Undergraduate colleges and schools
*College of Biomedical Sciences and Health Professions
*College of Applied Technology and General Studies
*College of Liberal Arts
*College of Science, Mathematics, and Technology
*School of Business
*College of Education
*School of Health Sciences
Notable academic programs
UTB was home to several academic centers and programs:
*Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy Research focuses on astrophysical source modeling, gravitational wave data analysis, and the phenomenological astrophysics of gravitational wave sources.
*Center for Biomedical Studies was established to conduct biological and medical research on regional health issues and biotechnological approaches that may contribute to regional development.
*Center for Civic Engagement
Student life
Student government
The Student Government Association at UTB hosts the officers of the student body. The SGA runs a three-branch system, with the executive board consisting of the Student Body Officers, the Legislative Board consisting of the Student Senate, and the Judicial Board consisting of the Chief and Associate Justices.
Student organizations
The university recognized more than 50 but less than 100 student organizations. In addition, it supported the Student Organization Council, an official student governance organization that represent student interests to faculty, and administrators.
Greek life
Sorority
*Sigma Psi Delta
Media
Students expressed their opinions in and outside of class through periodicals including '' The Collegian'' and the Sting Radio.
Athletics
The Texas–Brownsville (UTB) athletic teams were called the Ocelots (formerly known as the Scorpions until after 2011–12 the school year). The university was a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its st ...
(NAIA), primarily competing in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) from 2006–07 to 2014–15.
UTB competed in seven intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports included baseball, cross country, golf and soccer; while women's sports include cross country, golf, soccer and volleyball.
Accomplishments
The UTB Ocelots women's volleyball team was ranked #18 in the NAIA, but lost the standing after a bad 2008 season. In 2009, under new head coach Todd Lowery, formerly of National American University
National American University (NAU) is a private for-profit online university with locations at Ellsworth Air Force Base and Naval Submarine Base King's Bay. It is owned by National American University Holdings, Inc. (NAUH). In 2018, NAU a ...
, the Scorpions began to shine again, achieving a #12 ranking in the NAIA. In December 2011, the UTB volleyball team won its first national championship.
Chess team
The University of Texas at Brownsville was widely regarded for having one of the strongest chess programs in the nation. In 2010, they placed second in the Final Four of College Chess
The President's Cup (informally known as the Final Four of College Chess) determines the U.S. college team chess champion. Hosted in part by the United States Chess Federation (USCF), the President's Cup is an annual invitational team championshi ...
, which they hosted.
Notable alumni
*Oscar Casares
Oscar Cásares (born May 7, 1964) is an American writer and associate professor of creative writing. He is the author of '' Brownsville: Stories'', '' Amigoland'', and ''Where We Come From''. Cásares teaches at the University of Texas at Aust ...
, writer
*Jaime Zapata
Jaime Jorge Zapata (May 7, 1978 – February 15, 2011) was an Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent who was ambushed and murdered by the Mexican criminal group Los Zetas in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. ...
, U.S. Homeland Security special agent
References
*Chilton, Carl Jr. (2001) "The First 70 Years: A History of Higher Education in Brownsville"
External links
*
*
The University of Texas System
{{DEFAULTSORT:Texas Brownsville, University of
University of Texas Brownsville
, mottoeng = Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.
, established =
, closed = (merged with UT–Pan American to form The UTRGV)
, type = Public State University
, presid ...
University of Texas at Brownsville
, mottoeng = Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.
, established =
, closed = (merged with UT–Pan American to form The UTRGV)
, type = Public State University
, presid ...
University of Texas at Brownsville
, mottoeng = Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.
, established =
, closed = (merged with UT–Pan American to form The UTRGV)
, type = Public State University
, presid ...
University of Texas at Brownsville
, mottoeng = Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.
, established =
, closed = (merged with UT–Pan American to form The UTRGV)
, type = Public State University
, presid ...
Brownsville
University of Texas at Brownsville
, mottoeng = Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.
, established =
, closed = (merged with UT–Pan American to form The UTRGV)
, type = Public State University
, presid ...
Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Red River Athletic Conference
University of Texas at Brownsville
, mottoeng = Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.
, established =
, closed = (merged with UT–Pan American to form The UTRGV)
, type = Public State University
, presid ...
University of Texas at Brownsville
, mottoeng = Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.
, established =
, closed = (merged with UT–Pan American to form The UTRGV)
, type = Public State University
, presid ...
University of Texas at Brownsville
, mottoeng = Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.
, established =
, closed = (merged with UT–Pan American to form The UTRGV)
, type = Public State University
, presid ...
University of Texas at Brownsville
, mottoeng = Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.
, established =
, closed = (merged with UT–Pan American to form The UTRGV)
, type = Public State University
, presid ...
University of Texas Brownsville
, mottoeng = Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.
, established =
, closed = (merged with UT–Pan American to form The UTRGV)
, type = Public State University
, presid ...