Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Texas State is Moving On Up

Texas State University is known for its diversity and growing population in recent years and has come a long way from being just a one-building campus.

In each of the past 16 years, Texas State has set a new record for itself in total enrollment.  This past fall semester had the highest enrollment, with 35,568 students, with minorities making up 42 percent of the student body.

Texas State Provost Eugene Bougeois said because the demographics of Texas are beginning to shift, it is important that the higher-level institutions reflect those changes.

"We are most please that our efforts to recruit students from all backgrounds has led to a truly diverse population at Texas State," he said.

Along with the growing and changing diversity, Texas State's reputation has evolved as well.

Colby Gober, a student at Texas State, thinks his school should continue to grow in order to gain credibility.

"I think with the increase in number of students it will set the standards higher and Texas State can become a better school," Gober said. "Things are changing and we are no longer quite the party school that Texas State has been known for since it was Southwest Texas."

As the reputation of Texas State improves, there are hopes of it being able to compete with the bigger schools in Texas, such as the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University.

Kelsey Jendrusch, a junior fashion merchandising major at Texas State, thinks the university should continue to grow so her school can rank with the larger schools in Texas.

"People always try and compare Texas State to UT and A&M when they really can't since we aren't as big as they are," she said.

Although the popular opinion among students is Texas State should continue to grow, there are some problems that come along with it. The amount of parking available around campus seems not to be as sufficient as many students would like it to be.

Stephen Torres, a junior at Texas State, said it is good the school continues to grow but it needs to make accommodations for the amount of students it has enrolled.

"They should add more buses and more parking so it's easier to get to and from the campus," he said.

Even though parking is scarce and students have trouble even getting through the Quad, the amount of students enrolled did not affect many people's decision to come to Texas State.  Shannon Quay, a sophomore and education major, was one of those people.

"I knew several people who went here and absolutely loved it and I decided it was the place for me," she said.

Texas State continues to grow and thrive, becoming one of the fastest growing universities in Texas and improving its educational horizons.

President Denise M. Trauth finds it gratifying to see so many students are choosing Texas State.

"This new high in student enrollment demonstrates that Texas State continues to be a leading university in the state, and that students and their families recognize our institution offers both an outstanding educational experience as well as an exceptional value," she said.


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