Angelo State University


Angelo State University is a public university in San Angelo, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1928 as San Angelo College. It gained university status and awarded its first baccalaureate degrees in 1967 and graduate degrees in 1969, the same year it took on its current name. It offers 50 undergraduate programs and 31 graduate programs. It is the second-largest campus in the Texas Tech University System.

History

The history of ASU can be traced to 1928, when San Angelo College was established following a municipal election held in 1926. Organized as part of the city school system, for many years, the two-year college occupied a site on North Oakes Street near the commercial center of the city. The voters of Tom Green County in 1945 created a county junior college district and elected the first board of trustees. In 1947, the first building was constructed on the present university site.
The university has experienced a rapid transition from a regional junior college to an accredited senior institution of higher learning. Pushed through the legislature by State Senator Dorsey B. Hardeman, a former mayor of San Angelo, the former San Angelo College was transformed into Angelo State College in 1965 by an act of the 58th Session of the Texas State Legislature in 1963. The transfer of authority from the board of trustees of the junior college to the Board of Regents, State Senior Colleges, became effective on September 1, 1965. In May 1967, the first baccalaureate degrees were awarded. Shortly after Hardeman retired from the Texas Senate, the name of the institution was changed to Angelo State University in May 1969.
The graduate program was initiated in 1970 with the start of the university's College of Graduate Studies. During a major realignment of the Texas University systems, Angelo State University was designated as a member of the Texas State University System in 1975, along with Sam Houston State University, Southwest Texas State University, and Sul Ross State University, when the 64th Texas Legislature changed the name of the governing board to Board of Regents, Texas State University System.
In the fall of 2007, the Alumni Association voted to request a move to the Texas Tech University System from the Texas State University System.
The merger received widespread support in San Angelo and Lubbock, where Texas Tech University is located. The bill was approved, signed by Gov. Rick Perry, and voted into the Texas Constitution by the electorate, making Angelo State University accountable to the Texas Tech System Board of Regents in late 2007.
The first doctoral program, the doctorate of physical therapy through the College of Nursing and Allied Health, was offered in 2009.
Angelo State completed its first capital campaign in 2013, raising $35 million for facility construction, scholarships, and academic support. After reaching the original goal of $25 million in the first 15 months of the campaign, the goal was raised to $35 million, which was reached in June 2013.

Academics

Angelo State's students come from all across Texas with an additional 46 states and 22 other countries also represented in the university's total enrollment. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Of the over 3,000 universities nationwide, Angelo State University ranked 85th in endowment funds per student. The interest earned from the endowment goes towards scholarships and academic support.
Angelo State University offers 35 minor programs, 50 bachelor's, 31 master's, and one doctoral degree program. The graduate school at Angelo State was authorized by the Board of Regents, State Senior Colleges, on May 15, 1970, and approved by The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on October 19, 1970. In 2009, the university was authorized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to offer doctoral level degrees, starting with a doctorate in physical therapy.
Angelo State University is divided into six colleges, including the Norris-Vincent College of Business, College of Education, College of Arts and Humanities, Archer College of Health and Human Services, College of Science and Engineering, and College of Graduate Studies and Research.

Rankings

U.S. News & World Report ranked Angelo State's online graduate education program 36th in the nation and its Graduate Degree in Nursing ranked 39th in the nation in its 2016 Best Colleges report.
US Veterans magazine ranked Angelo State University as a "Best of the Best" in its 2015 listing of top veteran-friendly schools.
SourceMedia and its magazine On Wall Street named Angelo State University one of the nation's "75 Leading Schools for Financial Planners" for 2016.
The Chronicle of Higher Education named Angelo State University one of the nation's "Great Colleges to Work For" for 2018. ASU was one of only 84 institutions of higher education recognized nationally by The Chronicle, and also ranked highly enough to be one of only 42 institutions named to their 2018 Honor Roll. The 2018 recognition marks the fourth straight year ASU was made both the "Great Colleges to Work For" list and the Honor Roll.

Campus

The main campus is situated on. It is centered on the campus mall, a tree-lined pedestrian walkway that covers over 1 mile and connects most major buildings. It has changed significantly since 1965 as a result of the development of an ultramodern physical plant now valued at over $450 million. The university consists of over 60 buildings encompassing of available space.
Major academic buildings include the Porter Henderson Library, which was completed in the fall of 1967, and the Raymond M. Cavness Science Building, which was opened in the spring of 1968. An academic building and a 10-story women's high-rise residence hall and accompanying food-service center were opened in September 1968. A second 10-story residence hall for men opened in September 1969. The modernization and expansion of the Houston Harte University Center was completed during the summer of 1971, and a physical education complex was opened in the summer of 1972. The Mayer Museum, a variety museum that consists of natural science, art, history, and a permanent arrowhead collection, finished construction in 2021.
The Robert and Nona Carr Education-Fine Arts Building, completed during the spring of 1976, provides ultramodern facilities for the Departments of Education, Art and Music, and Communications, Drama, and Journalism. In addition to an extensive array of teaching facilities, many special-use areas are incorporated in the building, including the theater, recital hall, and band hall, and an area for art design and ceramics. The 60,000-sq-ft Emil C. Rassman Building, completed during the summer of 1983, houses the Department of Business Administration, the Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance, and Department of Aerospace Studies, as well as the office of the Dean of the College of Professional Studies.
The Lloyd D. and Johnell S. Vincent Nursing-Physical Science Building was completed during the spring semester of 1985. Located across the mall from the Physical Education Building and the Emil C. Rassman Building, the building contains about 73,000 sq ft arranged over two floors. The building houses the Physics and Geosciences Department, David L. Hirschfeld Department of Engineering, the Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice, and offices for the Dean of the College of Sciences and Engineering. Specialized teaching and laboratory facilities are included for physics, physical science, geology, and engineering. The building houses one of the largest planetariums among the nation's colleges and universities, featuring a 50-ft dome and seating for 114. The facility is used as a lecture hall and for other special programs. It is also used in conjunction with academic courses in astronomy and for public shows.
The 86,000-sq-ft Mathematics-Computer Science Building, completed in 1996, houses the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Computer Science, as well as facilities to support the university's mainframe computing services. Other recent additions include expansion of the Cavness Science Building, construction of the new Texan Hall residences, and adding another floor to the Porter Henderson Library to accommodate the Communications, Drama, and Journalism Department and Honors Program.
The Management Instruction and Research Center is a ranch on O.C. Fisher Lake property, which Angelo State has under long-term lease from the US Corps of Engineers. These facilities support the programs in animal science and biology and a wide range of management and research activities.

Safety and security

Sixteen emergency call boxes are strategically spread across campus. In the case of an emergency and the need for immediate assistance, all calls are routed directly to the Angelo State Police Department. In addition Angelo State has a "Lifeline App" for IPhone or Android made available free of charge. It can be used for distress calls or with use of a hands-free timer that will send for help if not deactivated. GPS location can be used to instantly send ASU Police to that location. The Angelo State University Police Department employs 14 full-time police officers, all certified state peace officers, with the same qualifications and powers that municipal police departments deploy. They patrol the campus 24 hours/day, 365 days/year. The ASU alert system sends out messages to all campus emails and cell phones registered through the system in the case of any campus or regional emergency.

Student life

There are several fraternities and sororities on campus. Honor societies, religious organizations, and sports teams abound.
The Houston Harte University Center serves students' recreational and community needs. For student recreation, it offers multiple pool, ping pong, and air hockey tables, ample couch and student meeting areas. The center has eight different dining options including Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, and Subway. It also houses the Student Credit Union, the Campus Bookstore and USPS Post Office.