Texas Southern University (TSU) was founded as Texas State University for Negroes in 1947 and was the first state-supported institution in Houston. In 1973, the Texas legislature designated TSU a special purpose institution of higher education for urban programming. Ascribing to the global implications of its urban mission, the University focuses on high-quality teaching, research, and public service to prepare students for leadership roles in urban communities worldwide. Texas Southern University offers a variety of academic programs to students of diverse backgrounds and various levels of scholastic achievement. These students matriculate in undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees in the arts, science, public affairs, education, business, health science, law, pharmacy, and technology. A special challenge to the institutional mission is the open-access philosophy, which affords admission to broad categories of students from the intellectually gifted to the academically under prepared. In support of this concept, the faculty develops unique educational programs and creates a stimulating intellectual climate for a diverse student clientele. In fulfilling its mission and purpose, Texas Southern University is committed to the following: maintaining an innovative, productive, and receptive learning environment; implementing initiatives to ensure a suitable environment for research and other scholarly activities; and infusing new technological advances into its infrastructure and academic programs.
< CollapseTexas Southern University is one of the largest historically black universities in the USA. Located in Houston, Texas, the university was established on March 3, 1947 by the Texas Legislature and it was initially named Texas State University for Negroes. Prior to becoming a state university, Texas Southern University was owned by the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and had been known as Houston College for Negroes.
In February 1946, Heman Marion Sweatt, an African American man, applied to The University of Texas School of Law. He was denied admission because of his race, and subsequently filed suit. (See Sweatt v. Painter.) At the time, there was no “separate but equal” law school for African Americans, and the Texas trial court, instead of granting Sweatt a writ of mandamus, continued the case for six months allowing the state time to create a law school only for blacks. As a result, Texas Southern University was established under Senate Bill 140 by the Fiftieth Texas Legislature on March 3, 1947 as a state university to be located in Houston. Originally named Texas State University for Negroes, the school was established to serve African Americans in Texas and offer them fields of study comparable to that available to white Texans. The state took over the HISD-run Houston College for Negroes as a basis for the new university. At the time, Houston College had one permanent building, but, more importantly, an existing faculty, and students. The school was charged with teaching "pharmacy, dentistry, arts and sciences, journalism education, literature, law, medicine, and other professional courses," and further stipulated that "these courses shall be equivalent to those offered at other institutions of this type supported by the State of Texas."
Former president of TSU Priscilla Slade was fired in June 2006 over allegations of financial mismanagement. She along with 3 others were indicted, and her colleague Quentin Wiggins received a ten-year prison sentence. Slade's trial resulted in a hung jury, and she faces retrial in the spring of 2008. If convicted she faces up to life imprisonment.
|
Full-Time vs. Part-Time
|
Race/Ethnicity
|
|
In State vs. Out-of-State
|
Top States for Incoming Freshman
|
| Percent of Students International: | 3% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 15% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | No |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (Southwestern Athletic Conference) Basketball (Southwestern Athletic Conference) Baseball (Southwestern Athletic Conference) Track (Southwestern Athletic Conference) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | In-State | Out-of-State | |
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 4,468 | $ 13,478 | |
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 1,200 | $ 7,824 | |
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 2,572 | $ 2,572 | |
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,256 | 73% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 2,638 | 32% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 1,326 | 1% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 2,625 | 47% | |
Any Aid: |
93% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 100% (Open Admissions) |
| Application Fee: | $ 42.00 |
