"In a real sense there has been a University of Texas System since the beginning of The University of Texas on September 15, 1883. At that time the main university at Austin and the Medical Branch at Galveston were under the authority of the Board of Regents. Over the years, other branches and components were added to the system." (Donald W. Whisenhunt, The Encyclopedia of Texas Colleges and Universities, 1986)
"The University of Texas System was established gradually." (Margaret C. Berry, The University of Texas: A Pictorial Account of its First Century, 1980)
1876
The Texas Constitution was adopted. Article VII provided that "The Legislature shall as soon as practicable, establish, organize, and provide for the maintenance, support, and direction of a university of the first class, to be located by a vote of the people of this State, and styled "The University of Texas." The Legislature vested the governance of the University in the Board of Regents of The University of Texas.
1881
Enabling Legislation was passed. "Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, that there be established in this State, at such locality as may be determined by a vote of the people, an institution of learning, which shall be known as The University of Texas. The medical department of the university shall be located, if so determined by a vote of the people, at a different point from the university proper, and as a branch thereof; and the question of the location of said department shall be submitted to the people and voted on separately from the propositions for the location of the main university."
By vote of the people on September 6, the Main University was selected to be located in Austin and the Medical Branch in Galveston.
1882
Cornerstone for Old Main is laid. (This serves as the Old Main Building at the Medical Branch at Galveston.)
1883
Classes begin at UT Austin on September 15, with 221 students (163 men, 58 women) and eight male faculty.
1884
First commencement is held in Austin on June 14.
1891
The Galveston Medical Branch campus opens.
1913
The institution now known as UT El Paso is created as the Texas School of Mines and Metallurgy and became a part of the UT System in 1919. (In 1949, its name was changed to Texas Western College, which remained until 1967 when its name was again changed to The University of Texas at El Paso.)
1923
Santa Rita No. 1 strikes oil. The first oil royalty payment to the Permanent University Fund was made on August 24 in the amount of $516.53.
1941
The Texas State Cancer Hospital (now known as UT MD Anderson Cancer Center) is created by the 47th Legislature under the authority of the Board of Regents.
1943
The UT Dental Branch in Houston (now part of the UT Health Science Center at Houston) comes under the authority of the Board of Regents.
1948
The University of Texas Postgraduate School of Medicine was established in Houston. (Now part of the UT Health Science Center at Houston)
1949
The institution now known as UT Southwestern Medical Center accepted for administration by the Board of Regents.
1950
The Office of the Chancellor is created by the Board of Regents. James Pinckney Hart is appointed chancellor.
1954
Logan Wilson is named acting chancellor. (Wilson also serves as president of UT Austin from 1953 to 1960.)
Later that year, the Regents abolish the position of chancellor.
1959
The Legislature creates the South Texas Medical School (now part of the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio).
1960
The Regents re-establish the position of chancellor. Logan Wilson (still president of UT Austin) is reappointed as chancellor.
1961
Harry H. Ransom is named chancellor. He serves until 1970. He also holds the office of president of UT Austin from 1960 to 1961. From 1963 to 1967 there is no office of president at UT Austin. As chancellor during these years, Ransom is the chief academic officer of the Austin campus.
1963
The Legislature creates the UT Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston (now part of the UT Health Science Center at Houston).
1965
The institution now known as UT Arlington is transferred to UT from the Texas A&M system.
1967
The Legislature changes the names of institutions within the UT System, giving them uniform designations.
The Legislature creates the UT School of Public Health in Houston (now part of the UT Health Science Center at Houston).
1969
The Legislature creates the UT Medical School at Houston (now part of the UT Health Science Center at Houston).
The Legislature creates the UT Dental School at San Antonio (now part of the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio).
UT Dallas is established by the Legislature.
UT Permian Basin is established by the Legislature.
UT San Antonio is established by the Legislature.
1971
Charles A. LeMaistre is appointed chancellor. He serves until 1978.
1972
The Board of Regents reorganizes the biomedical units in Dallas, Galveston, Houston and San Antonio into four health science centers.
The UT Health Science Center at Houston is established by the Board of Regents through consolidation of several other UT entities.
The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio is established by the Board of Regents through consolidation of several other entities.
1977
East Texas Chest Hospital officially becomes the UT Health Center at Tyler, joining the UT System.
1978
E. Donald Walker is named chancellor. He serves until 1984.
1979
The institution now known as UT Tyler joins the UT System.
1984
Voters approve a constitutional amendment extending use of Permanent University Fund Bonds to all institutions then in the UT or A&M systems.
Hans Mark is named chancellor. He serves until 1992.
1989
UT Pan American joins the UT System.
1991
UT Brownsville is established as a separate UT institution.
1992
William H. Cunningham is named chancellor. He serves until 2000.
1999
Voters approve a constitutional amendment that allows the modernization of the investment and spending policies of the Permanent University Fund.
2000
R.D. Burck is named interim chancellor on June 1 and named permanent chancellor on December 6.
2001
R.D. Burck announces that he intends to step down as chancellor by September 1, as part of an orderly plan for leadership succession.
2002
Mark G. Yudof is named chancellor on June 21. He serves until 2008.
2008
Kenneth I. Shine is named interim chancellor on April 1.
UT Health Center at Tyler changes its name to The UT Health Science Center at Tyler.
2009
Francisco G. Cigarroa is named chancellor on January 9.
2012
Medical schools are established at UT Austin and in South Texas (UT Rio Grande Valley).
2013
UT Rio Grande Valley is authorized by the Texas Legislature (Senate Bill 24).
2014
The Board of Regents approves the appointment of Admiral William H. McRaven as next chancellor.
2015
Admiral McRaven begins his tenure as chancellor on January 5.
Classes begin at UT Rio Grande Valley on August 31 with more than 29,000 students. Enrollment surpasses projections by more than 1,000. UT Pan American closes and UT Brownsville continues to serve in an administration function for the upcoming year.
2018
Larry Faulkner serves as Chancellor ad interim from June 1 through September 15.
James B. Milliken is named chancellor on August 27 and begins his tenure on September 17.
2020
UT Tyler and UT Health Science Center at Tyler merge, with UTHSCT retaining its status as a health institution while administratively becoming an instructional site of UTT.
2021
UT Education and Research Center at Laredo is established.
2023
The University of Texas System’s Board of Regents elected to assume management and operational control of Stephen F. Austin State University. This paved the way for the SFA to officially affiliate as a member of the UT System as of Sept. 1.
2024
The University of Texas System’s Board of Regents announce plans to merge UT Health Science Center at San Antonio and UT San Antonio into one premier global university.
