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Texas Tech University is a nationally recognized doctoral/research university located in Lubbock, Texas, established in 1923 originally as Texas Technological College.

Contents 1 History 2 Academics 3 Athletics 3.1 Facilities 4 Student publications and media 5 Notable faculty and alumni 6 Notable organizations 7 References 8 External links

History

Though plans for opening a college in West Texas had been in the legislature for some time, it had long been thought that any such institution should be a branch of Texas A&M. However, in 1923 the decision was made to create a new college system entirely so as to serve the unique needs of the region.

On 10 February of that year, Governor Pat Neff signed the legislation creating Texas Technological College and the site committee began searching for a location. In August, the first ballot resulted in the selection of Lubbock and construction began on what is now considered Old Campus. Texas Technological College opened for classes in 1925 with an enrollment of 914 students.

In the 1960s it was decided that the phrase "technological college" was insufficient to define the scope of the institution, having expanded the curriculum to far more than just technical subjects. Several name changes were proposed including Texas State University and Texas Tech University. The board of directors preferred the name Texas Tech University, due to a desire to preserve the university's already recognizable "Double T" emblem. The name change was such a big issue that students held rallies and marched against the name Texas Tech University. One student stated in a letter to the University Daily "Tech to me is a coined word and does not dignify this fine institution." Despite a few rallies and student-led ballot initiatives, in 1969 the board voted unanimously in favor of the change to Texas Tech University.

Academics

Texas Tech University offers 117 Bachelor's, 104 Master's and 59 Doctoral degree programs. It is divided into 12 colleges and schools:[1]

• College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources
• College of Architecture
• College of Arts & Sciences
• Rawls College of Business
• College of Education
• College of Engineering
• Graduate School
• Honors College
• College of Human Sciences
• School of Law
• College of Mass Communications
• College of Visual & Performing Arts

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, offers schools of Allied Health, Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacology. The HSC has campuses located in Lubbock, as well as in Abilene, Amarillo, El Paso, and Odessa. Aside from its teaching duties, it provides medical services to over a hundred counties, a geographic region larger than most states. A second medical school in El Paso is scheduled to open in 2007.

Texas Tech maintains a number of libraries, both general-purpose and specific (such as the Architecture and Lawlibraries), the most notable of which are the Southwest Special Collections and the Vietnam Archive, one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of information on the Vietnam War in the world.

The university also maintains the KTXT-FM 88.1 student radio station as well as the National Public Radio station KOHM 89.1 FM (radio). In addition, the university owns and operates Public Broadcasting Service station KTXT-TV (television).

The near 1900 acre Lubbock campus, valued at over 1 billion dollars is home to Texas Tech's main academic university, law school and school of medicine is one of the largest campuses in the nation.

Athletics

Texas Tech is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in Division I-A for athletics in all "major" sports. Men's teams are the Red Raiders, women's teams are the Lady Raiders.

Of the major sports, Texas Tech has had its greatest success in women's basketball. In 1993, the women's team won a national championship led by Sheryl Swoopes.

In addition to the "major" collegiate sports, the university offers other sports such as rugby, lacrosse, and soccer through campus intramural sports organizations.

The Masked Rider is the oldest of Texas Tech's mascots still in existence today. Originally called "Mr. Papagiorgio," it was an unofficial mascot starting around 1936 when an unknown student (or students) would circle the field on horseback at home football games, riding into the stadium and away. The Masked Rider became the official mascot with 1954's Gator Bowl and has led the team onto the field at nearly every football game since. The Masked Rider was the nation's first horse riden mascot used in football games. The Florida State Seminoles and the USC Trojans are the most notable schools that use such a mascot today.

Tech's other current mascot, Raider Red, is more recent. Around the time of the 1971 football season, the Southwest Conference created a rule that forbade the bringing of live animal mascots to away games unless the host school permitted it. Since the Masked Rider's horse would fall under this rule an alternate mascot was created. Jim Gaspard, a member of the Saddle Tramps student spirit organization, created the original design for the Raider Red costume, basing it on a character created by Lubbock cartoonist and former mayor Dirk West. Though the Masked Rider's identity is public knowledge, it has always been tradition that Raider Red's student alter ego is kept secret until the end of his tenure. The student serving as Raider Red is a member of Saddle Tramps.

Facilities

• Dan Law Field - Baseball
• Jones SBC Stadium - Football
• United Spirit Arena - Basketball, Volleyball

Student publications and media

• KTXT-FM
• The Daily Toreador [2] (TTU Newspaper, Formerly: The University Daily, renamed in 2005)
• The Perversity Weekly (TTU Satire Newspaper)
• La Ventana (TTU Yearbook)
• Student Media Site

Notable faculty and alumni

Main article: List of Texas Tech University people

Notable organizations

• The Goin' Band from Raiderland, Texas Tech's marching band
• Sabre Flight Drill Team
• Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority, founded at Texas Tech
• The Vietnam Project
• Saddle Tramps spirit organization
• High Riders spirit organization

References

• "Texas Tech University Colleges and Schools". Retrieved Dec. 23, 2005.

External links

• Texas Tech University Official Site
• Texas Tech Athletics Official Site
• Texas Tech Alumni Association
• The Vietnam Project at the Vietnam Archive
• Techsans Online

Big 12 Conference: North Division: Colorado | Iowa State | Kansas | Kansas State | Missouri | Nebraska   South Division: Baylor | Oklahoma | Oklahoma State | Texas | Texas A&M | Texas Tech

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