SR232 - Recognizing March 12, 2025, as Texas Tech University System Day.

          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 232          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 State of Texas, 89th   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.     Perry                 ________________________________          President of the Senate               I hereby certify that the     above Resolution was adopted by     the Senate on March 12, 2025.                 ________________________________          Secretary of the Senate                 ________________________________           Member, Texas Senate