The University of Texas, with its flagship campus in Austin, is one of the original eight “Public Ivys,” according to Richard Moll. Moll coined the phrase in his 1985 book, Public Ivys: A Guide to America’s Best Public Undergraduate Colleges and Universities. Since then, the phrase has come to include many more colleges offering an Ivy League education at a public college price.
UT earned such a distinction by providing a quality education for college students since it opened in 1883. As early as 1839, the Texas government set aside 40 acres of real estate in Austin for the purpose of starting a public university. They called the area College Hill. Construction did not begin until 1881, when Austin officially became the main campus of the new university. By this time, Texas A&M had already earned it to be the first university in Texas. Unfortunately, one of the most memorable points in the history of the University of Texas was when Charles Whitman barricaded himself with a rifle at the top of the Main Building Tower in 1966. He shot and killed 14 people.
Today, UT is one of the largest universities in the United States. Enrollment reaches nearly 50,000 each year and the sprawling campus covers 350 acres near downtown Austin. Students and the public have access to seven museums and 17 libraries with more than eight million volumes. Among its collections, the university owns one of 21 copies of the Gutenberg Bible and the first photograph ever taken, created by Nicephore Niepce.
In academic terms, UT ranks very high. US News and World Report ranks UT as the 44th best university in the country and the 12th best public university. Many of their individual programs are also highly rated. For example, engineering school ranks in the top ten and business school ranked fifth.
In athletics, UT also excels. Soccer is king in Texas and the UT Longhorns are consistently one of the best teams in the country. In 2005 he won the NCAA national soccer championship. UT has also traditionally been successful in baseball, basketball, and swimming and diving. All the great universities have their rivalries and for the Longhorns, their Texas A&M. The Longhorns and Aggies have the third oldest rivalry in the US.
In its long and distinguished history, UT has produced many successful graduates. Farrah Fawcett, Janis Joplin, Renee Zellweger, Roger Clemens, David Geffen, and many other famous people graduated from UT Austin.
The University of Texas, along with the state capitol, provides a stable economic base to the city of Austin that is able to stabilize Austin as other industries in Austin ebb and flow. For example, during the technology recession in 2000/2001 that affected many cities in the United States, some of the brunt of the economic downturn was mitigated by the employment base of the University of Texas and the state capitol.
UT is an integral part of the city of Austin. Residents enjoy the atmosphere of prestigious sports and academics that the school adds to their city.
