Texas State University Enrollment Reflects Texas Demographics

The latest Texas census reports the state’s ethnic makeup as 39 percent Hispanic, 13 percent African-American and 5.7 percent other minorities.

SAN MARCOS – In parallel with the dramatic growth that has seen the student body grow to nearly 39,000 students, Texas State University has also become more representative of the State of Texas’ population as a whole.

This growth reflects the mission of the university to serve the citizens of Texas and to play a leading role in preparing the workforce for the coming decades.

The latest Texas census reports the state’s ethnic makeup as 39 percent Hispanic, 13 percent African-American and 5.7 percent other minorities.

Texas State’s student body is made up of 36 percent Hispanic, 11 percent African-American and 4 percent other minorities.

In addition, 96 percent of Texas State students are from Texas, coming from every county in the state.

The university has accomplished this while earning a Carnegie Foundation classification as an R-2 university, meaning a doctoral research institution with higher research activity.

The parallel effort has attracted externally funded research received by federal, state and private support of more than $132 million over the past five years.

In fiscal year 2017 alone, externally funded research expenditures reached $33.1 million and total Research and Development expenditures were $60.7 million.

This funding supports faculty and graduate students as well as research leading to advances in science and engineering, health, public safety and education.

In support of Texas State’s ongoing mission to serve all Texans, the university has worked to develop new minors in African American Studies and Latina/o Studies.

The development of these minors has been under way for more than two years and has been made possible through the incorporation of existing courses into a defined and focused program of study.

Faculty and staff groups including the Hispanic Policy Network and the Coalition of Black Faculty and Staff have been involved in these efforts.

In 2011, Texas State was designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education. This designation allows institutions to compete for larger federal grants, and recent grants received in concert with the HSI designation total $30.5 million.

While these funds are limited to specific programs, they benefit all students by expanding support services such as advising, counseling and tutoring.

The Hispanic Policy Network intends to raise awareness of these support services in the near future via a purpose-built website.

A task force has been created to review data gathered from a recently completed campus climate survey in order to recommend additional programs that can be improved or implemented that will help create a more inclusive campus environment.

In addition, the Office of the Provost has launched a hiring search for a Special Assistant to the Provost for Inclusion and Diversity.

This dedicated faculty position is designed to develop programs that facilitate an inclusive academic climate, promote the recruitment and advancement of all faculty, and ensure fairness in policies and practices that affect faculty.

The position expands on existing programs providing training and education to all new faculty, staff and students on cultural inclusiveness and sensitivity.

About Texas State University

Founded in 1899, Texas State University is among the largest universities in Texas with an enrollment of 38,694 students on campuses in San Marcos and Round Rock. Texas State’s 184,000-plus alumni are a powerful force in serving the economic workforce needs of Texas and throughout the world. Designated an Emerging Research University by the State of Texas, Texas State is classified under “Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity,” the second-highest designation for research institutions under the Carnegie classification system.