IN 1881, THE 17TH LEGISLATURE PASSED AN ACT stating "That there be established in this State, at such location as may be determined by a vote of the people, an institution of learning, which shall be called and known as The University of Texas."
The Legislature vested the governance of The University in the Board of Regents of The University of Texas. Ashbel Smith, M.D., who had been active in establishing the University, was appointed by Governor O. M. Roberts on October 19, 1881, to serve as the first Chairman of the Board. The University of Texas System has been governed by 214 Regents since its establishment.
University History
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City of Austin November 15th A. D. 1881
The State of Texas Be it remembered that on this Tuesday,
County of Travis November the fifteenth A. D. 1881, the Board of Regents of The University of Texas consisting of the following named members present to wit: Ashbel Smith, Thos. J. Devine,
R. B. Hubbard, Smith Ragsdale, T. D. Wooten, T. M. Harwood and A. N. Edwards convened in the City of Austin at 4 o'clock p.m. inobedience to the following Proclamation made by his Excellency
O. M. Roberts, Governor of Texas, the same being a true copy of Original Proclamation to wit:
Proclamation
By the Governor of the State of Texas convening the Board of Regents of the University of Texas:
Whereas the Official Returns of the Election held September 6th 1881 which said Returns are now on file in the Office of the Secretary of State, show that Austin has been selected by the people as the location of the University of Texas with the Medical Branch at Galveston,
Now therefore I, O. M. Roberts, Governor of Texas by virtue of the Authority vested in me by the laws of this State do hereby call the Board of Regents of the University of Texas to convene at the City of Austin on Tuesday the fifteenth day of November 1881 to effect the permanent organization of the Board and to take such action as the law requires for the establishment and organization of the University.
In testimony whereof I hereto sign my name and cause the
Seal of State to be affixed at the City of Austin this 19th day of October A. D. 1881
O. M. Roberts
Governor
By the Governor
L. H. Bowman
Secretary of State
The permanent organization of the Board was effective by electing Ashbel Smith President (Chairman) and A. N. Edwards, Secretary.
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IN OCTOBER 1905, THE BOARD OF REGENTS ordered the University seal devised by Professor William James Battle and recommended by President Houston be adopted by the Board.
In conformity with general usage, the design has as its central feature the shield form that shows the origin of heraldic arms. This shield is divided into two fields, the upper white, the lower orange, the University's colors. In the lower and larger field are the historic wreath and star of the Great Seal of the State of Texas; in the upper field is an open book, fit symbol of an institution of learning. The shield rests within a circle of blue, the color of sincerity, containing the motto, Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis. Around the disk of blue is a larger disk of red, color of strength, bearing the words, "Seal of The University of Texas."
The motto, Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis, is the late Dr. Edwin W. Fay's terse Latin rendering of the famous quotation from Mirabeau B. Lamar, "Cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy."
The right half of the wreath is an olive branch, the left half a live oak branch. The shade of orange used is taken from the orange used in the arch of the entrance to the Student Union Building on the campus which has the best claim to being the official University orange. The shades of red, blue, and green are not officially designated, but are strong shades of these colors in conformity to heraldic usage.
-- Board of Regents' Minutes May 4, 1957
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The Honorable James Pinckney Hart
Elected Chancellor July 24, 1950
Resigned January 1, 1954
Dr. Logan Wilson
Elected President of the System September 18, 1954
Elected Chancellor September 1, 1960
Resigned June 30, 1961
Dr. Harry Huntt Ransom
Elected Chancellor June 30, 1961
Resigned as Chancellor January 1, 1971 and appointed Chancellor Emeritus January 1, 1971
(From July 1, 1963 through November 1, 1967 Chancellor Ransom was also President of the Main University in Austin)
Dr. Charles A. LeMaistre
Elected Chancellor January 1, 1971
Resigned as Chancellor July 31, 1978 and became President of The University of Texas System Cancer Center August 1, 1978
(Retired as President of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center August 31, 1996)
Mr. E. Don Walker
Appointed Acting Chancellor August 1, 1978
Elected Chancellor October 19, 1978
Resigned August 31, 1984
Dr. Hans M. Mark
Appointed Chancellor-Elect May 30, 1984
Assumed Position September 1, 1984
Resigned August 31, 1992
Dr. William H. Cunningham
Appointed Chancellor-Elect April 9, 1992
Assumed Position September 1, 1992
Resigned May 31, 2000
Mr. R. D. Burck
Appointed Interim Chancellor June 1, 2000
Named Sole Finalist November 15, 2000
Appointed Chancellor December 6, 2000
Resigned July 31, 2002
The Honorable Mark G. Yudof
Named Sole Finalist May 31, 2002
Appointed Chancellor-Designate June 21, 2002
Began serving as Chancellor August 1, 2002
Announced resignation April 30, 2008
Dr. Kenneth I. Shine
Appointed Chancellor ad interim effective May 1, 2008
Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa
Named Sole Finalist December 18, 2008
Appointed Chancellor January 9, 2009
Began serving as Chancellor February 2, 2009
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Mr. Frank Pickrell was one of the partners responsible for the drilling of the Santa Rita No. 1. The reason for the name "Santa Rita" is best told in Frank Pickrell's own words:
"The name of Santa Rita really originated in New York. Some of the stock salesmen had encouraged a group of Catholic women to invest in the Group I certificates. These women became a little worried about the wisdom of their investment and consulted with their priest. He apparently was also somewhat skeptical and suggested that the women invoke the aid of Santa Rita, who was the patron saint of the impossible. As I was leaving New York on one of my subsequent trips to the field, two of these women handed me a sealed envelope and told me that the envelope contained a red rose that had been blessed by the priest in the name of the saint. The women asked me to take the rose back to Texas with me -- to climb to the top of the derrick and scatter the rose petals, which by then were dry, over the rig and to say 'I hereby christen thee Santa Rita'. I faithfully followed those instructions."
- From 1917 - 1919 more than 5000 oil and gas exploration permits were issued by the General Land Office for University Lands.
- No exploration was attempted until 1921.
- On August 23, 1921 (just four hours prior to the expiration of the applicable permit) the historic Santa Rita No. 1 was spudded in Section 2, Block 2, University Lands, Reagan County.
- Drilling continued for almost two years at the drill site, which was isolated by a shortage of adequate roads and limited transportation facilities. It has been said that the only sounds came from the rig, roadrunners, and rattlesnakes.
- Finally the historic day arrived on May 28, 1923, when a rattlesnake noise began at the well bore and changed to the sound of a wild prairie wind. Santa Rita came in with oil blowing over the top of the derrick and spraying the countryside. The first well drilled on University Lands, Santa Rita No. 1, was officially transformed into a bona fide oil well.
- The first oil royalty payment to the Permanent University Fund was made on August 24, 1923 in the amount of $516.53.
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The Santa Rita Award is the highest award that is bestowed by the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System. Santa Rita, the discovery oil well whose resources transformed The University of Texas, was named after the patron saint of the impossible. The recipients of the Santa Rita Award have in their own way overcome the impossible as they furthered the transformation of The University of Texas as a University of the First Class.
The Santa Rita Award, presented on an occasional rather than a regular basis, recognizes:
- a demonstrated concern for the principles of higher education generally,
- a deep commitment to the furtherance of the purposes and objectives of The University of Texas System,
- a record of commitment to securing appropriate financial support for the System from both the public and private sectors, and
- a demonstrated record of participation in the affairs of the System which serves as a high example of selfless and public-spirited service.
Miss Ima Hogg received the first Santa Rita Award in 1968. The Award consists of a bronze medallion. The award was conceived and initially financed by Dr. H. F. Connally, Jr., as a major Systemwide award. Dr. Connally, of Waco, was responsible for having the medallion designed and he paid for the first medallions. Additionally, he was instrumental in assuring that the first copies of the book, Santa Rita--The Highest Award, were published.
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