History
The first mention of a public university in Texas back to the creation in 1827 of the States of Coahuila and Texas. Although an article promised the establishment of a center of public education in the sciences and the arts, the Mexican government did nothing. After Texas won its independence in 1836, the Texas Congress approved the Constitution of the Republic, one of whose articles a proposal to establish schools in the Republic were included, including two universities. January 26, 1839, Congress passed the earth gives rise to that end, including forty acres in the new capital (Austin), who had the name "College Hill" (Hill of the University).The relationship with the United States (in 1846) rapped economic whip of the project; although, the secession of Texas from the Union and the American Civil War caused so much wanted. After the war, 1866 Texas Constitution requires that the university should be established as soon as possible. He had already begun the creation in 1862 of the University of Texas A & M University, which was established in 1871 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. During the construction of Texas A & M, the Constitution of 1876 called for the creation of a "first-class university," University of Texas.
In 1881, Austin was chosen the main academic center and Galveston was designated the place of medical service. In College Hill, a ceremony began construction of what is now called the old main building (main building) at the end of 1882. The university opened its doors for the first time September 15, 1883.
The old Victorian Gothic building served as a point of forty acres of the main campus, and has been used for almost everything. In 1930, they began to debate and discussion on the need for a space in the library, and the main building was demolished in 1934, against the advice of students and teachers. The new main tower, modern building was built.
Constitutional restrictions avoided a greater expansion. In all cases, the revenues generated by the oil found on college campuses in 1923, took its endowment. This additional income allowed the university to pay their debts and move easily in the decade 30 and 40. 19 permanent buildings were constructed between 1950 and 1965 and gave the right of expropriation. With this power, the university bought the land around the original 40 acres.
On August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman, a student of architecture at the University, is strong in the main building at the watchtower with a gun and several other weapons. In 96 minutes tragic, Whitman killed 15 people and wounded 31. After this incident, the viewpoint was closed until 1968 and closed again in 1975 after several suicides went from there. In 1998, after the installation of security measures, which reopened to the public.
Campus
Today, the university has about 350 acres (1.4 km²) to its main campus near downtown and about 850 acres (3.4 km²) in total, including JJ Pickle Research Campus and north Austin in Austin and other properties in different parts of Texas.One of the main symbols of the school is the main building, including its tower nearly 100 meters high designed by Paul Philippe Cret. Completed in 1937, the main building is located in the center of campus. Round white lights usually at night, but several important occasions (for example, sport victories or academic achievements) lights up orange. Sometimes the tower is not illuminated for solemn occasions. At the top of the tower there is a carillon of 56 bells, the largest in Texas. In addition to the typical quarters (06: 00-09: 00 Monday through Friday), you can hear other songs, with chiming resident Tom Anderson.
Littlefield House: one of the campus buildings.
The University of Texas at Austin has 7 museums and 17 libraries, with more than 8 million pounds. Among the catalog of one of them, the Social Science Research Center Harry Ransom is a Gutenberg Bible original and the first picture on the disc: The view from the window of Gras, taken by Niépce. In April 2006, the Blanton Museum of Art opened in its 14,000 square houses about 17,000 works from Europe, USA and Latin America.
The university also has an extensive system of underground tunnels that connect most of the buildings. The tunnel system is closed to the public and protected with alarms, it is used for communications. In addition, the University of Texas at Austin and operates a 1.1 megawatt nuclear reactor looking Campus J. J. brine.
The continued expansion of universities. an extension of the football stadium was approved in February 2006. In March this year, students voted in a referendum to build a new center for student activities near Gregory Gym in the eastern part of the campus. The project has an estimated cost of 51 million euros and dollars to start between 2010 and 2012. The money for this work is expected to be especially students, tuition fees will increase $ 65 per semester.
A public radio station of the University, the KUT, provides local service and FM audio transmission over the Internet. The university uses the bus and capital providers around the campus and students Austin Metro.
