UT Tyler 50th Anniversary

A University is Born

Tyler State College, which would become The University of Texas at Tyler, was established on June 10, 1971, bringing to fruition the dream of regional leaders to expand educational opportunities for students. An upper-division school for juniors, seniors and graduate students, Tyler State grew quickly after admitting its first class of 178 in the former Roberts Junior High School building near downtown Tyler. The college was renamed Texas Eastern University in 1975, moved to its current campus in 1976 and joined the UT System three years later.

Those early days provided a strong foundation for what is now a four-year university serving East Texas and beyond, with over 80 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, 17 NCAA Division II men’s and women’s sports and nearly 10,000 students from 45 states and 60 countries.

1970s Timeline