SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 193
WHEREAS, Aggies and Longhorns will unite today at the State
Capitol to celebrate Orange and Maroon Legislative Day 2017 and
to promote higher education in the State of Texas; and
WHEREAS, Alumni from the two universities total more than
941,000, and Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at
Austin have a combined annual enrollment of more than 117,000
students and award more than 27,000 degrees each year; and
WHEREAS, The schools each boast excellent museums and
libraries, including the George Bush Presidential Library and
Museum in College Station and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
and Museum in Austin, and both universities offer competitive
tuition rates in order to remain accessible and affordable; and
WHEREAS, Texas A&M University and The University of Texas
at Austin are renowned for their exceptional research, and the
teaching and research missions of the institutions benefit the
State of Texas by advancing scientific breakthroughs, improving
health care, making technological innovations, and creating
successive generations of informed and engaged citizens; and
WHEREAS, Researchers at Texas A&M University and The
University of Texas at Austin explore, discover, and innovate in
the sciences, arts, and humanities; together, the universities
have more than 1,500 patents and more than $1.3 billion in total
research expenditures; the universities drive economic prosperity
in their respective regions and in the State of Texas through the
generation of patents, grants, corporate start-ups, and numerous
other enterprises; and
WHEREAS, Both universities serve as centers for the arts
and culture, inspiring Texans to take part in the visual and
performing arts and other creative endeavors; the institutions
also serve as flagships for athletics and physical education,
encouraging Texans to participate in physical activity and to
support the student-athletes that represent the state in
competition across the nation; and
WHEREAS, The universities' faculties feature Nobel laureates
and nationally recognized scholars, and the student bodies
include National Merit scholars, Rhodes scholars, Olympic gold
medalists, and many of the Lone Star State's most promising young
people; in addition, the universities offer an amazing range of
postgraduate opportunities, with nearly 500 graduate degree
programs; and
WHEREAS, Texas A&M University and The University of Texas
at Austin are the only two tier-one public research institutions
in the State of Texas as defined by the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board; these flagship universities are members of
the prestigious Association of American Universities; and
WHEREAS, Texas A&M University and The University of Texas
at Austin have established themselves as preeminent institutions
of higher education on the state, national, and international
levels, and Texans are fortunate to have access to these two
exceptional state university systems; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th
Legislature, hereby recognize February 15, 2017, as Orange and
Maroon Legislative Day and commend alumni from Texas A&M
University and The University of Texas at Austin for their
commitment to promoting higher education in the Lone Star State;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor
of this special occasion.
Zaffirini, Bettencourt,
Buckingham, Campbell,
Creighton, Huffines,
Schwertner, Watson
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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 15, 2017.
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Secretary of the Senate