Texas Southern University

Infobox University
name = Texas Southern University
native_name =


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latin_name =
motto =
mottoeng =
established = 1947
closed =
type = Public, HBCU
affiliation =
endowment = $6 million
officer_in_charge =
chairman =
chancellor =
president = Dr. John Rudley
vice-president =
superintendent =
provost = Dr. Sunny E. Ohia
vice_chancellor =
rector =
principal =
dean =
director =
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faculty =
staff = 350
students =
undergrad = 9,585
postgrad = 2,050
doctoral =
other =
city = Houston
state = Texas
province =
country =
United States
coor =
campus = Urban, 150 acres (0.61 km²)
former_names = Texas State University for Negroes
Houston College for Negroes
free_label =
free =
sports =
colors = Maroon and Gray
color box|maroon color box|gray
colours =
nickname = Tigers or Lady Tigers
mascot =
athletics = National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision
affiliations = Southwestern Athletic Conference
website = [http://www.tsu.edu/ www.tsu.edu]

footnotes =

Texas Southern University is one of the largest historically black universities in the United States. 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.

History

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 Houston Independent School District (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."

2006 Scandal

Former president of TSU Priscilla Slade was fired in June 2006 over allegations of financial mismanagement. [cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/east/news/5448172.html|title=TSU regents pick Rudley as new president|work=Houston Chronicle] 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. [cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-10-12-1998912507_x.htm|title=Mistrial for former TSU president|work=USA Today]

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, recognized by the Federal Dept. of Education for accreditation in southern areas, placed TSU on probation for noncompliance with regulations on financial management and administration. The university says improvements have been made and fully expects the probation to be lifted by the end of 2008. [cite web|url=http://www.tsu.edu/about/sacs/faq.pdf|title=FAQ Regarding the Status of TSU|publisher=Texas Southern University|format=PDF]

Campus

The university currently sits on a convert|150|acre|km2|sing=on campus in the middle of Houston's Third Ward and enrolls 9,544 students.

Residential facilities

The school has two residence halls for first-year and returning students [cite web|url=http://www.tsu.edu/student/housing/residence.asp|title=The Residence Halls|publisher=Texas Southern University]
* Lanier West Hall, for female students

Other housing options include:
* Apartments with utilities included [cite web|url=http://www.tsu.edu/student/housing/uc.asp|title=University Courtyard Apartments/ Tierwester Oaks/Richfield Manor|publisher=Texas Southern University]
** University Courtyard Apartments
** Tierwester Oaks
* The Greystone Apartments (utilities not included) [cite web|url=http://www.tsu.edu/student/housing/greystone.asp|title=The Greystone Apartments|publisher=Texas Southern University]

Postal services

United States Postal Service Texas Southern Post Office is located at 3100 Cleburne Street, 77004-4575.

Athletic Facilities

*Health and Physical Education Arena
*TSU Recreation and Wellness Center

Academics

The university currently comprises ten schools and colleges: the College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences , the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs, the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, the College of Education, the College of Continuing Education, the [http://science.tsu.edu College of Science and Technology] , the Jesse H. Jones School of Business, the Graduate School, and the recently established Tavis Smiley School of Communication. The Thurgood Marshall School of Law is one of the four public law schools in Texas.

tudent activities

Athletics

Texas Southern University's school colors are maroon and gray and the school's mascot is the Tiger. Texas Southern sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (Championship Subdivision for football) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).

Men's varsity sports include baseball, basketball, football, golf, tennis, and track and field. Women's varsity sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.

TSU's best known rivals are Prairie View A&M, Southern University, Jackson State University, & Grambling State University.

Notable alumni

References

External links

* [http://www.aacsb.edu/ AACSB Accreditation Web Site]
* [http://www.tsu.edu/ Texas Southern University]
* [http://www.tsuball.com/ Texas Southern University Athletics]
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