Welcome to Texas State University‐San Marcos! You are about to start your self guided tour of one of the most scenic and historic campuses in the state. This tour will take you through the heart of campus where you will walk the same steps as our past, current, and future students. It is our hope that you take in the beauty of the Texas Hill Country as well as explore the different educational programs that Texas State University has to offer. Your tour may take up to one hour so please wear comfortable shoes, weather appropriate clothing, and take a bottle of water for the hills ahead. Authorized by the Texas Legislature in 1899, Southwest Texas State Normal School opened its doors in 1903. Over the years, the Legislature broadened our institution's scope and changed its name, in succession to Southwest Texas State Normal College, Teachers College, College, University, and in 2003 to Texas State University‐San Marcos. Each of our name changes reflects the University's growth from a small teacher preparatory institution to a major, multipurpose university. Today our students can choose from over 100 bachelors, 88 masters, and 8 doctoral degree programs. These majors are offered in our 9 academic colleges Applied Arts, McCoy College of Business Administration, Education, Fine Arts and Communication, Health Professions, Liberal Arts, Science, University College and the Graduate College. Texas State University‐ San Marcos is the 5th largest university in the state of Texas with over 30,000 students attending classes on our two campuses. Our largest campus is our main campus located in Sa n Marcos Texas and our new Round Rock Higher Education Center located in Round Rock, just north of A ustin. We recommend that you begin your tour from the LBJ Student C enter located on Student Center Drive. You are currently standing in the LBJ Student Center, named afte r our most famous alumni, President Lyndon B. Johnson (Class of 1930). Texas State is the only university in Texas and the only state school in the nation to graduate a US President. The LBJ Student Center is the hub for student activity on campus. Inside you will find a teaching theater, the University Bookstore, Career Services Office, Campus Activities Office, the Office of Disability Services, and a food court just to name a few. Tucked away on the first floor of the student center is a great live 1 | P a g e entertainment venue George’s. Named after country singer George Strait (Class of 1979), George’s is a great place to relax and hang out with friends after a hard day of hitting the books. Directions • Head straight back to the double doors and out to the 3rd floor balcony. • Stop for a moment and take in the beautiful view of campus and the City of San Marcos This is great spot for a picture. • Turn right and head down the outside corridor toward the Health Professions building. The horseshoe building on the right is the home of the College of Health Professions. Texas State’s Sleep Center is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Texas State is pleased to announce the addition of a four year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to our list of majors. The state of the art nursing building will be opened in 2010 at the Round Rock Higher Education Center. Directions • Optional walking path‐Continue straight toward the pedestrian walk way to west campus following the sidewalk to see the Student Recreation Center Across the pedestrian walk way you will see West Campus. West Campus is home to the Supple Science, Mitte Complex, Presidents House, Student Recreation Center (SRC), Family Consumer Sciences, and our upperclassmen residence halls. The newly expanded Student Recreation Center is your place to work out and a great place to make new friends. The SRC is complete with an indoor track, golf simulator, bask etball and volleyball courts, and one of the largest collegiate rock walls in the state! You can also take advantage of exercise classes and intramural sports while visiting the SRC. Supple Science Center houses our Department of Biology. Currently our Biology Department and its students are working with five Texas Universities and two Texas zoos to protect the wildlife throughout the state. The Mitte Complex offers students of Art and Design two art galleries for students showcase their work. The Mitte also serves as the home for the Ingram School of Engineering which offers manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, and electrical engineering. Directions • Head down the steps and stop at the first landing, you will be facing the McCoy Hall of Business The Emmett and Miriam McCoy College of Business Administration is housed in McCoy Hall, which was completed in May 2006 and supports the applied learning approach used by our faculty. McCoy Hall is home to the T. Paul Bulmahn Research and Trading Lab in which our students and faculty have access to financial data to 2 | P a g e enhance their learning and research experiences. Students enrolled in this class have managed $20,000 of the McCoy College Development Foundations Assets. In addition to the trading lab, the building offers high‐
tech classrooms, student and group study areas, computer labs, and a variety of other instructional settings that promote the development of tomorrow’s business leaders. Directions • Continue heading down the hill toward the Alkek Library. • Stop inside the breezeway, take a moment and view the University Seal. The Albert B. Alkek Library first opened its doors in 1990 and offers students a wide range of learning resources including more than 1.3 million books, documents, serials, and other printed material. The library also receives 8,500 print or electronic journals, and provides access to 195 databases covering all subjects. The library provides students access to a computer lab with PC and Mac workstations, laser printers, scanners, and video editing equipment. Computer workstations with adaptive equipment for disabled users are also available. Students may check out laptop computers, can study in one of the many private or group study rooms, or can visit the Student Learning Assistance Center (also referred to as the SLAC lab) for free tutoring services. The Alkek Library stands seven stories tall with each floor being as long as a football field! (Optional tour section if time permits visit the7th floor of the library for another great view) Directions • Walk down the library steps and continue toward Derrick Hall. Derrick Hall is home to our Sociology Department, Air Force ROTC (Detachment 840), the Anthropology Research Lab, and our 24 hour computer lab. Directions • Continue down the steps on the right side of Derrick Hall. • Stop at the “Fighting Stallions” statue. You have officially reached “The Heart of Campus”! The quad, is the area of campus that sees the most foot traffic on any given class day. At the beginning of each fall and spring semester many of the student organizations will have their recruitment table set up in this area. The 17‐foot high “Fighting Stallions” sculpture was donated to the university in 1951 by noted sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington and husband Archer 3 | P a g e Huntington. The area directly in front of the stallions is the free speech area of campus. Directions • On your right is Evans Liberal Arts Building. • On your left is the front of Derrick Hall. Evans Liberal Arts Building is home to the Anthropology, Geography and Political Science Departments. The Department of Anthropology operates the largest outdoor forensic laboratory in the world at Freeman Ranch. Texas State is proud to boast that the Masters of Applied Geography is one of the first of its kind in the state! This building also houses Evans Auditorium. You never know what you’ll find going on inside the auditorium; a jazz or wind ensemble or perhaps a production from our theater department. Directions • Continue into the quad. • On your left is the Taylor‐Murphy History Building Taylor‐Murphy History Building is home to the Department of History and The Center for Texas Music History. The center focuses on the preservation and study of Texas and Southwestern music history. If time permits you may want to step inside and see the open‐
air courtyard. Directions • Head down further into the Quad and stop an d the intersection of the Quad and N. LBJ. • On your left is the Psychology building. Built in 1918, the Psychology Building is home to the Department of Philosophy and Psychology. Directions • Now start heading up t he hill and stop at another one of our famous statues on campus. Unveiled September 14, 2006, the sculpture depicts a young Lyndon B. Johnson as he would have looked as a student attending Southwest Texas State Teache rs College. The statue is the wo rk of the late acclaimed sculptor Lawrence Ludtke of Houston and was commissioned by the Associated Student Government. Johnson returned to campus many times as President and in his retirement years. His most famous visit was in 1965 when he returned to sign the Higher Education Act into law which opened the doors of higher education to many who could not previously afford it. 4 | P a g e Directions • On your left is Centennial Hall. • On your right is Flowers Hall. Centennial Hall is home to the College of Science Academic Advising Center, Department of Modern Languages and Communication Studies. Flowers Hall is home to the College of Liberal Arts Academic Advising Center, Department of English, Center for International Studies, Center for Multicultural and Gender Studies and the Writing Center. The Writing Center is a free resource for students needing assistance with composing and editing papers. Directions • Continue up the steps toward the red‐roofed building. • On your left is the Chemistry Building. • On your right is the Lampasas Building. • Directly in front of you is Old Main. The Chemistry Building is home to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Lampasas is home to the Honors Program. The Honors Program was created in 1967 and offers students the opportunity to engage in interactive, seminar style honors courses. With smaller class sizes students hav e the opportunity to interact with honors faculty and students. For more i nformation on the Honors Program visit their website www.txstate.edu/honors Old Main is the structural icon of Texas State Old Main was the first building constructed on campus and has served Texas State in many capacities since opening its doors in the fall of 1903. This red‐roofed, castle‐like National Landmark is now home to the School of Journalism & Mass Communication, College of Fine Arts and Communication Academic Advising Center, the university radio station (89.9FM KTSW), a student lounge, and computer labs. 5 | P a g e Directions • Continue to the back of Old Main to see Bobcat Stadium. In the distance you will see Bobcat Stadium. Texas State plays in the Southland Conference and is Division I in all sports except for football. We are currently making the transition to play at the Division 1 level in football. In support of this effort the Fields Family generously donated $6 million to the athletic program to build the new west side entrance complete with club and box seating. Not only do our students excel on the field but since 2004, Texas State ranks first among public universities in state of Texas in graduation rate for student athletes, at 66 percent. Directions You still have plenty to see but will now begin your walk back toward the LBJ Student Center. • Walk down the staircase on your left, by the Lampasas Building. • Stop at the Academic Services Building. The Academic Services Building is home to the University College, the Athletic Academic Center, the Office of Correspondence, Extension, Study Abroad and the Den Food Court. The food court offers meals all day from Einstein’s Bagels, Grillritos, Texas Gourmet Wrap Co, Marco Polo's Stirfry, Freshen's Frozen Treats, and Pizza Hut. Down the hill on the left you will see the Education Building. Teacher preparation makes up the largest portion of programming in the College of Education and is a campus‐wide commitment at Texas State. Historically, Texas State University has been and continues to be the largest university‐based teacher preparation entity in Texas. Directions • Cross the street, this will put you at the intersection of Edward Gary and Bobcat Trail. • Stop and take a moment at the bus stop. • The building on your left is Brogden Residence Hall. • The building in the middle is Commons Dining Hall. • The building on your right is Beretta Residence Hall. These residence halls house our Reside ntial College Program where student s are co enrolled in large lecture courses. Students in these halls are required to do community service with one another and attend extracurricular programs adding to their college experience. Students who take part in the Residential College have historically had higher GPAs for their freshman and sophomore years. 6 | P a g e Directions • Continue walking straight back up the hill. • On your left is the Nueces Building. The University Police Department is responsible for law enforcement and the security of our campus. The department is made up of fully commissioned police officers that operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This building is also where Parking Services are housed. Directions • Continue walking up the hill, you will see the back of Evans Liberal Arts building. • Continue further up the hill and on your left you will see Jones Food Court. Jones Food Court offers meals all day from Cup O' Joes, Route 90 Grill, Coupe DeLicious, Tuscano Pizzeria, Stubb’s BBQ, Majestic Cheesesteaks & Salads, Panda Express, and Mr. B's Grinders. Directions You are almost there. • Continue up the stairs, you are walking on the back side of the Alkek Library. • Head up the stairway to your left with the Alkek library next to you on the right. • Continue going around the Alkek library and enter the LBJ Student Center. Whew! You made it! You are back in the LBJ Student Center. Grab something to drink in the University Bookstore where you will also be able to check out the Texas State gear including t‐shirts and decals! We hope that you enjoyed your visit to our campus. If you have any questions about Texas State do not hesitate to call the Office of Undergraduate Admissions Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm at 512.245.2340. Have a safe journey home. 7 | P a g e