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Looking Back at 2020: A Year in Review

An unprecedented year has reached its end. Look back at the events that encompassed the year that was 2020 for the 51±¾É« and its four institutions.

Dec. 22, 2020 | Contact: Scott Lacefield

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  51±¾É« System Collaboration in Response to the Coronavirus

  When the world came to a standstill in March as the coronavirus swept the globe, Texas 51±¾É« System institutions joined forces to take care of each other, their communities and front line health care workers fighting COVID-19.

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  Lori Rice-Spearman Appointed Ninth President of Texas 51±¾É« Health Sciences Center

  The 51±¾É« Board of Regents and Chancellor Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., announced on June 5 the official appointment of Lori Rice-Spearman, Ph.D., as the ninth president of Texas 51±¾É« Health Sciences Center.

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  Ronnie D. Hawkins Jr. Appointed 11th President of Angelo State University

  Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Ronnie D. Hawkins Jr. was officially appointed to his new post as president of Angelo State University at a special ceremony on Aug. 17 in the ASU Houston Harte University Center. He is the second ASU alumnus to serve as president, and the first Black president in the 92-year history of the institution.

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  51±¾É«HSC El Paso Raises $775,000 for Medical Student Scholarships

  Texas 51±¾É« Health Sciences Center El Paso officials announced on March 2 the university had raised more than $775,000 for medical student scholarships as part of its campaign celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine.

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  Boards of Regents Approve MOU with Midwestern State University

  The 51±¾É« Board of Regents and the Midwestern State University Board of Regents approved a memorandum of understanding to support forming a partnership with MSU Texas to become the fifth university of the 51±¾É« System, pending legislative approval in 2021.

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  51±¾É« Regents Elect New Chairman and Vice Chairman

  The 51±¾É« Board of Regents elected J. Michael Lewis and Mark Griffin, chairman and vice chairman, respectively, during a regularly scheduled meeting of the board on Thursday, Dec. 10. The two will serve two-year terms in the leadership roles.

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  Texas 51±¾É« Surpasses 40,000 Students

  Texas 51±¾É« has continued a growth trend that has made it one of the fastest-growing institutions in the United States in the last 10 years. This fall, Texas Tech has again attained a record enrollment, for the 12th consecutive year, with 40,322 students as of the 20th day of class on Sept. 21.

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  Angelo State Posts Another Record Fall Enrollment

  For the second year in a row and the fourth time in the last five years, Angelo State University has set a new record for fall enrollment, topping 10,700 students for the first time.

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  51±¾É« System Receives Elite-Level Long-Term Credit Ratings

  The 51±¾É« received reaffirmed long-term credits ratings of AA+ from S&P Global and Fitch Ratings, and a Aa1 long-term rating from Moody’s to solidify the four-component university system’s place among the nation’s elite higher education institutions for financial strength and practices.

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  Chancellor's Council Recognizes Faculty for Teaching & Research Excellence Across the 51±¾É« System Institutions

  Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., chancellor of the 51±¾É«, announced 12 faculty recipients of the 2020 Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching and Research Awards. Recognizing academic excellence, the honors are the most prestigious awards granted to faculty throughout the 51±¾É« System.

51±¾É« the 51±¾É«
Established in 1996 and headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, the is a $2 billion higher education enterprise focused on advancing higher education, health care, research and community outreach. Consisting of four universities – , , and – the 51±¾É« System collectively has approximately 57,000 students, in 18 cities (16 in Texas, 2 internationally), more than 300,000 alumni and an endowment valued at over $1.3 billion.

During the 86th Texas Legislature under the leadership of Chancellor , M.D., legislative funding and authority was provided to establish a new Texas Tech University veterinary school in Amarillo and a new dental school at Texas 51±¾É« Health Sciences Center El Paso. This will be the state’s first veterinary school in more than a century and first dental school in over 50 years. The addition of these two schools makes the 51±¾É« one of only nine in the nation to offer programs for undergraduate, medical, law, nursing, pharmacy, dental and veterinary education, among other academic areas.