Tarleton State University

Tarleton State University

Former names	The John Tarleton College (1899–1917) John Tarleton Agricultural College (1917–1949) Tarleton State College (1949–1973)
Type	Public research university
Established	September 7, 1899; 125 years ago (1899-09-07)
Parent institution	Texas A&M University System
Endowment	$42 million (2016)[1]
President	James L. Hurley
Students	14,092[2] (Fall 2022)
Undergraduates	12,012
Postgraduates	2,080
Location	Stephenville , Texas , U.S.
Campus	Urban, 1,973 acres (798 ha)
Colors	Purple & white
Nickname	Texans
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – WAC UAC
Website	www.tarleton.edu

Tarleton State University is a public research university with its main campus in Stephenville, Texas. It is a founding member of the Texas A&M University System^[3] and enrolled over 15,000 students in the fall of 2022.^[4][5] It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".^[6]

John Tarleton College was founded in 1887 with an endowment from settler John Tarleton.^[7] John Tarleton died on September 11, 1895, and left part of his estate—mostly property—to be sold to “erect, endow and maintain” The John Tarleton College. Texas Governor Charles Allen Culberson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction James McCoy Carlisle and Erath County Judge Thomas B. King were named as trustees.

An editor has launched a copyright investigation involving this section. The text under investigation is currently hidden from public view, but is accessible in the page history. Please do not remove this notice or restore blanked content until the issue is resolved by an administrator, copyright clerk, or volunteer response agent. The purported copyright violation copies text from https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/mcilhany-marshall (Copyvios report); as such, this page has been listed on the copyright problems page. Unless the copyright status of the text of this page or section is clarified and determined to be compatible with Wikipedia's content license, the problematic text and revisions or the entire page may be deleted one week after the time of its listing (i.e. after 15:09, 7 October 2024 (UTC)). What can I do to resolve the issue? If you hold the copyright to this text, you can license it in a manner that allows its use on Wikipedia. You must permit the use of your material under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0) and the GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) (unversioned, with no invariant sections, front-cover texts, or back-cover texts). Explain your intent to license the content on this article's discussion page. To confirm your permission, you can either display a notice to this effect at the site of original publication or send an e-mail from an address associated with the original publication to permissions-enwikimedia.org or a postal letter to the Wikimedia Foundation. These messages must explicitly permit use under CC BY-SA and the GFDL. See Wikipedia:Donating copyrighted materials. Note that articles on Wikipedia must be written from a neutral point of view and must be verifiable in published third-party sources; consider whether, copyright issues aside, your text is appropriate for inclusion in Wikipedia. You can demonstrate that this text is in the public domain or is already under a license suitable for Wikipedia. Explain this on this article's discussion page, with reference to evidence. Wikipedia:Public domain and Wikipedia:Compatibly licensed may assist in determining the status. Otherwise, you may rewrite this page without copyright-infringing material. Your rewrite should be placed on this page, where it will be available for an administrator or clerk to review it at the end of the listing period. Follow this link to create the temporary subpage. Please mention the rewrite upon completion on this article's discussion page. Simply modifying copyrighted text is not sufficient to avoid copyright infringement—if the original copyright violation cannot be cleanly removed or the article reverted to a prior version, it is best to write the article from scratch. (See Wikipedia:Close paraphrasing.) For license compliance, any content used from the original article must be properly attributed; if you use content from the original, please leave a note at the top of your rewrite saying as much. You may duplicate non-infringing text that you had contributed yourself. It is always a good idea, if rewriting, to identify the point where the copyrighted content was imported to Wikipedia and to check to make sure that the contributor did not add content imported from other sources. When closing investigations, clerks and administrators may find other copyright problems than the one identified. If this material is in the proposed rewrite and cannot be easily removed, the rewrite may not be usable. Steps to list an article at Wikipedia:Copyright problems: Add the following to the bottom of Wikipedia:Copyright problems/2024 September 30: * {{subst:article-cv|Tarleton State University}} from https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/mcilhany-marshall. ~~~~ Add the following template to the talk page of the contributor of the material: {{subst:Nothanks-web|pg=Tarleton State University|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/mcilhany-marshall}} ~~~~ Place {{copyvio/bottom}} at the end of the portion you want to blank. If nominating the entire page, please place this template at the top of the page, set the "fullpage" parameter to "yes", and place {{copyvio/bottom}} at the very end of the article.

In 1917, U.S. Senator and Stephenville resident Henry Clark co-authored and presented legislation establishing John Tarleton Agricultural College as a member of the Texas A&M University system, certifying the Junior College within the Educational System of Texas.^[9] In 1949, it was again renamed Tarleton State College then became a four-year degree-granting institution in 1959. Tarleton gained status as a university in 1973 adopting its current name, Tarleton State University.^[10] In 2003 it began offering doctoral programs.^[11]

The university offers 85 undergraduate, 38 masters, 2 associate degree programs, and 2 doctoral programs.^[4]

Degrees are offered through eight colleges:^[15]

• Agriculture & Natural Resources
• Business
• Education
• Graduate Studies
• Health Sciences
• Liberal & Fine Arts
• Science & Mathematics
• Mayfield College of Engineering

The Department of Animal Sciences oversees the Tarleton Equine-Assisted Therapy (TREAT) program^[16] that is designed to utilize horseback riding as a form of physical, emotional and recreational therapy. Hippotherapy (physical therapy on horseback using the horse as a therapist) has developed as a medical field recognized by most major countries.

The Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research (TIAER)^[17] on the Tarleton campus plays a national leadership role in environmental issues related to water quality. This program provides the university, the dairy and beef industries, environmental control agencies and governmental policy groups with water pollution data for the 230,000-acre (930 km²) Upper North Bosque River watershed.^[17]

In fall 2002 the W.K. Gordon Center for Industrial History of Texas opened at a site located near Thurber, a ghost town located approximately 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Stephenville and about one hour west of the DFW Metroplex.^[18] Funded through a $1.2 million grant from the Texas Department of Transportation and a private gift from Mrs. W.K. Gordon Jr. The center is located on 4.1 acres (17,000 m²) near the site of Texas' first coal mine and adjacent to New York Hill along Interstate 20.^[19] The center is dedicated to the preservation, research and recording of Texas industrial history including coal mining, brick making and oil and gas exploration.^[18]

Tarleton operates two radio stations. KXTR-LP 100.7 FM is a student-operated rock station,^[20] while KTRL 90.5 FM is a public radio station broadcasting news, classical music, and jazz.^[21] Both are operated by students of Tarleton State University out of the radio station located in the Mathematics building on the TSU campus.^[20][21] Tarleton State University is one of three universities in the state of Texas to own and operate two radio stations; the other institutions being the University of Texas at Austin and Texas Tech University.^[22]

Tarleton students come from 47 U.S. states and 40 countries.^[4] Most university activities take place on Tarleton's 180-acre (0.73 km²) main campus.^[23] An 800-acre (3.2 km²) operational university farm with classroom space is located near the main campus northwest of Stephenville with access from TX Highway 8 and US Route 281.^[24] The 1,170-acre (4.7 km²) Hunewell Ranch is located in Erath County and provides additional educational facilities.^[25] Tarleton also offers specialized programs at its Dora Lee Langdon Cultural and Educational Center in Granbury^[26] and select programs and courses at McLennan Community College in Waco, Weatherford College in Weatherford, Bryan at the Texas A&M-RELLIS Campus, and in Fort Worth.^[27] Upper-level courses were offered at Tarleton-Central Texas in Killeen until 2009 when Texas A&M University-Central Texas was formed as a separate institution.^[28]

Most university activities take place on Tarleton's main campus in Stephenville, the county seat of Erath County.^[29]

Stephenville

Fort Worth

class=notpageimage|

Tarleton State University campuses

The main campus in Stephenville features a 72,000-square-foot (6,700 m²) sports recreation center opened in fall 2007.^[30][31]

A $13 million, 42,000-square-foot (3,900 m²) dining facility opened in fall 2008. The new building is an extension of the student center and has two floors, a convenience store, executive meeting rooms and a cafe with a wireless network.^[32]

In 2001, the university completed a $30.8 million science building complete with a 86-seat planetarium.^[33] In 2014, the Science Building was named for Lamar Johnson a former professor of biological sciences and dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.^[34] The old science building^[35] went through an extensive $13.5 million renovation and expansion upgrading laboratories and classrooms. This building is now named the Mathematics Building.^[36] An observatory at Hunewell Ranch^[37] houses a fully robotic 32-inch-diameter (810 mm) research-grade telescope.

The Dick Smith Library is a three-floor facility that houses materials including print books, periodicals, curriculum collection, audio-visual material, e-books, streaming media, and special collections.^[38]

Other notable buildings:^[36]

• Administration Building
• Barry B. Thompson Student Center^[39]
• Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center^[40]
• College of Business Administration
• E.J. Howell Education Building
• Mayfield Engineering Building^[41]
• Joe W. Autry Agricultural Building
• Nursing Building
• O.A. Grant Humanities Building
• Tarleton Center
• Trogdon House^[42]
• W.K. Gordon Center for the Industrial History of Texas^[43]

Tarleton–Fort Worth is a campus located in Tarrant County. The university has maintained a presence in Fort Worth since assuming control of the C.C. Terrell Memorial School of Medical Technology in the 1970s. In 2019, the university opened the first dedicated academic building^[44] on an 80–acre campus is located adjacent to the Chisholm Trail Parkway in southwest Tarrant County. The building, referred to as "Building I,"^[45] is a 76,000-square-foot (7,100 m²), three story multi-use facility with classroom, office space, and a library.^[46][47] The campus is projected to enroll over 9,000 students by 2030.^[48]

The current and 16th president is James L. Hurley who was appointed by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents in August 2019.^[49] Diane Stearns is the Chief Academic Officer serving as Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.^[50]

As a member of the Texas A&M University System, Tarleton is one of a network of 11 higher educational institutions administered by a Chancellor and a Board of Regents. Regents are appointed by the Governor. The current Chancellor is John Sharp and chair of the Board of Regents is Elaine Mendoza.^[51][52]

Tarleton State University athletics currently competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). They were admitted into the WAC on July 1, 2020, therefore ending their 26-year stint at the Division II level with the Lone Star Conference (LSC).^[53] Their admission into the LSC in 1995 marked their second period of membership, having previously participated from 1968 to 1975. They were a founding member of the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA) in 1976 and remained in that league until 1990. From 1991 to 1994 Tarleton played as an Independent.

The teams are known as the "Texans". Athletes were known as the "Plowboys" before the college became a four-year institution in 1961.

When women's sports were introduced in 1968–69, those teams played under the "Texans" nickname, but due to the desire of that day's female athletes to play under a distinctive nickname, the women's nickname was changed the next school year. "Texanns", "Tex-Anns", and "TexAnns" were used interchangeably until 1972–73, when "TexAnns" was officially settled on. Following a campaign initially led by two players and a (female) student manager in the women's basketball program, Tarleton returned the "Texans" nickname to women's teams in 2019–20.^[54]

The basketball and volleyball teams play at Wisdom Gym.^[55] The football team plays at Memorial Stadium. The baseball team plays at Cecil Ballow Baseball Complex. The softball team plays at the Tarleton Softball Complex.

Tarleton State University fields six men's varsity sports and eight women's varsity sports in the Western Athletic Conference:^[56]

The music program at Tarleton State University is a fully accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music. It is housed in the Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center. This multi-purpose fine arts complex contains three theatres: a 243-seat recital hall, an 805-seat auditorium, and the workshop theatre. There is a 16-keyboard piano lab and computer lab. The instrument collection includes two nine-foot concert Steinway grand pianos, the Waggener Memorial Organ (a tracker two-manual pipe organ), a Richard Kingston harpsichord, and several Steinway grand pianos that are designated for piano majors to practice. The university currently offers three music degrees, which are Bachelor of Arts in music, Bachelor of Music in music education (with all-level certification) and the Bachelor of Music in performance. It currently offers one online graduate degree, Master of Music in music education. The program has over 150 full-time enrolled students with 80% being instrumental studies and 20% being vocal studies. The Tarleton music department hosts many festivals and clinics throughout the school year, including Brass Day, TMEA All-Region Band clinics, Jazz Festival, Invitational Band Festival, TMEA Area Choir clinics, and the Let All Men Sing!^[57][58]

Music ensembles include The Sound and the Fury, The Texan Marching Band, Foul Play Basketball Band, Chamber Winds, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, two jazz bands, Brass Ensemble, Woodwind Chamber Ensemble, Trumpet Ensemble, Horn Choir, and Flute Choir.^[59]

The Texan Corps of Cadets was founded in 1917 when John Tarleton Agriculture College joined the Texas A&M University system. The Corps of Cadets was initially known as "Johns Army".^[60] The Corps of Cadets survived through the end of the 1950s. Until 2016, the school had only an Army ROTC program. However, in 2016 the Texan Corps of Cadets was brought back to the university.^[61]

The Texan Corps of Cadets offers students an opportunity to obtain a minor in Leadership Studies. All cadets live together in a residence hall at Tarleton called Traditions. All cadets wear their uniforms to class every day and must abide by the regulations set forth in the "Chisel".^[62]

Oscar P. was, according to legend, John Tarleton's pet duck who went everywhere with him. The two were so close that the duck is supposedly buried with Tarleton. During athletic events, students chant to raise the spirit of Oscar P.^[7][63]

TTP – Ten Tarleton Peppers (1921) and TTS – Ten Tarleton Sisters (1923) are the two oldest spirit organizations on campus and are precursors of the Purple Poo, a secret organization which promotes school spirit. The members in this organization keep their identities secret by appearing in public in costume. The organization gathers to make "Poo Say" signs each Monday night. The "Poo Say" signs appear nailed to trees on campus every Tuesday morning and occasionally comment on campus political life and student life.^[64]

The Plowboys, originally the mascot for Tarleton athletic teams, but more recently known as a spirit organization, wear purple and white shirts, cowboy hats, and purple chaps. Founded in 1984, they organize the Bonfire every year.^[65]

Texan Rider is Tarleton's current mascot that at one time rode a horse during the football games (this tradition was discontinued due to the renovated stadium), and wears purple chaps. The Texan Rider has been the mascot of Tarleton since 1961 when the student body chose the Texans and TexAnns to represent its athletic teams.^[66]

Silver Taps, a ceremony held to honor Tarleton's faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have died over the past year, is held in the spring during Founder's Week.^[67]

During the 1980s, the Student Government Association added the Yell Contest to Homecoming Week. Student organizations perform step and dance moves to original chants and lyrics; a panel of judges selects the top two teams. The winning team has the honor of beating the drum immediately following the Plowboys.^[68]

The John Tarleton Spirit Award originated in 1988, and is given to up to 12 students annually at the Leadership and Service Awards Banquet. Recipients are chosen based on campus involvement through organizations, special projects, and activities that contribute to the overall growth of the individual.^[69]

• Chris Adams, retired US Air Force Major General
• Ryan Bingham, singer/songwriter, Grammy Award and 2010 Academy Award winner
• Ben Barnes, former Lieutenant Governor of Texas (1969–1973) and Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives (1965–1969)
• Richard Bartel, NFL quarterback
• Philip Montgomery, former head football coach at the University of Tulsa
• DeWayne Burns (class of 1994), Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Johnson and Bosque counties since 2015
• James Dearth, NFL tight end
• William E. Dyess, survivor of Bataan Death March during World War II
• Chad Fox, MLB player
• J. W. Fritz, the head of the police investigation of the murder of president John F. Kennedy
• Steve Fryar, professional steer wrestler
• Bob Glasgow, Democratic Texas State Senator
• Rick Hardcastle, Republican former member of Texas House of Representatives from Wilbarger County
• Millie Hughes-Fulford, chemist and astronaut
• Jim Johnson, college athletics director
• Rufus Johnson, NFL linebacker selected in sixth round (pick 183) of 2013 NFL draft
• George Kennedy, actor
• Chris Kyle, U.S. Navy Seal
• Mary Madison, Iowa politician
• Stacey McGill, program director, Trace Systems
• Sid Miller, Texas Agriculture Commissioner and former member of Texas House of Representatives
• Mike Moncrief, member of Texas House of Representatives, judge, former mayor of Fort Worth
• Hal Mumme, college football coach
• Derrick Ross, former NFL football player
• James Earl Rudder, U.S. Army Major General and World War II veteran, former Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System^[70][71]
• Sam M. Russell, U.S. Representative serving 1941–1947
• Norman Shumway, father of heart transplantation
• Charles Steen, geologist who made first big strike of 1950s uranium boom
• Charles W. Stenholm, U.S. Representative from 1979 to 2005
• Clyde H. Wells, Texas A&M University System Regent 1961–1985 and rancher^[72]
• Randy Winkler, NFL offensive tackle
• Marvin Zindler, investigative reporter for KTRK-TV
• E. J. Speed, NFL linebacker
• Koe Wetzel,Texas country music singer/songwriter

• Barry B. Thompson, former Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System^[73][71]

• Official website
• Official Athletics Website

32°12′50″N 98°12′55″W / 32.2139°N 98.2154°W / 32.2139; -98.2154