University of Texas Permian Basin

The University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) is a public university in Odessa, Texas. It is part of the University of Texas System. UTPB was authorized by the Texas Legislature in 1969 and founded in 1973. Its official Spring 2016 enrollment was a record high 6,050 students, a 15% increase in headcount over the previous year.[3] UTPB is now home to over 7,000 students and 250 teaching faculty.[4]

The University of Texas
Permian Basin
Motto
Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis
Motto in English
A cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy.[1]
TypePublic university
Established1973
Parent institution
University of Texas System
PresidentDr. Sandra Woodley
Administrative staff
140
Students7,628 (Fall 2017)[2]
Undergraduates4,478 (Fall 2017)
Postgraduates3,150 (Fall 2017)
Location
Odessa
,
Texas
,
United States

31°53′24″N 102°19′43″W
CampusUrban, 644 acres
ColorsOrange and White    
AthleticsNCAA Division II – Lone Star
NicknameFalcons
AffiliationsUT System
Websitewww.utpb.edu

History
University of Texas of the Permian Basin entrance sign

Among those who pushed for the establishment of UTPB was the oil industrialist Bill Noël, who with his wife, Ellen Witwer Noël, became major philanthropists of the institution.[5]

In 1973,[6] a rivalry with Odessa College (OC) got underway from the very beginning, when OC students taunted the UTPB students that they were too old to produce a streaker. A student finally agreed, and with only his head covered, streaked across the campus.[7]

As of 2006, the university was holding discussions with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission about construction of a new High-Temperature Teaching and Test Reactor which, if successful, would finish licensing and construction around 2012. It would also be the first university based research reactor to be built in the US in roughly a decade, and one of the few HTGR type reactors in the world.[8] In late November in 2016 the city of Odessa granted site permission. That was the first step in official authorization.[9]

On April 17, 2008, the university broke ground on a new Science and Technology Complex. The new building houses the chemistry, biology, physics, computer science, and information technology programs. The new 70,000-square-foot (6,500 m2) building contains 41 labs, 56 offices, six classrooms, and three sunken lecture halls. Despite warnings from a UTPB Geology professor, the contractor failed to identify an underground aquifer that could cause the building supports to sink. Construction was delayed while the contractor reinforced the building supports after drilling into the aquifer; However, the building opened in time for the Fall 2011 semester.[10] The building houses classrooms, multiple laboratories including two large demonstration labs, a 200-seat lecture hall, and a state-of-the-art Data Communications Teaching Lab for undergraduate and graduate students. The Computer Science Department maintains a computer science research lab and a computer networking research lab.

A state-of-the-art building known as the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center is now open in the Midland campus, off Hwy 191 and FM 1788. Construction began in 2009 and the center opened with a grand gala featuring Rod Stewart on November 1, 2011.[10]

In 2018, UTPB announced a new Kinesiology building at a cost of around 37 million dollars.[11] The following year, UTPB announced the opening of its 55 million dollar Engineering building.[12]

Campus

Main campus
Visual Arts Studios
Stonehenge replica on campus of University of Texas of the Permian Basin in Odessa

A Stonehenge replica was added adjacent to the Visual Arts Studio.[13]

Gym Complex
Science and Technology Building
  • Parker Ranch House
  • Mesa Building
  • J. Conrad Dunagan Library/Lecture Center
  • Founder's Building
  • Visual Arts Studio
  • Gymnasium Complex
  • Gym Annex Building
  • Falcon's Nest(Housing)
  • Falcon's Court(Housing)
  • Industrial Technology Building
  • Science and Technology Building
  • Student Activity Center
  • Thermal Energy Plant
  • Physical Plant
  • PETEX
Other places of interest
  • Ellen Noël Art Museum
  • Presidential Archives and Leadership Library
  • Fire Station (City of Odessa)
  • U.T.P.B. Park (City of Odessa)

Midland campus
  • Center for Energy and Economic Diversification (CEED)
  • Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center
    • Performance Hall
    • Rea-Greathouse Recital Hall
Future developments[14]
  • Engineering Building
  • Student Housing
  • Academic Additions

Academics

The university offers bachelor's degrees and master's degrees, through its five colleges and schools:[15]

  • College of Arts and Sciences
  • College of Business
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Education
  • College of Nursing

Athletics
Main article: Texas–Permian Basin Falcons

The university's athletic teams are known as the Falcons and participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level as a member of the Lone Star Conference. The teams' uniforms reflect the school colors of orange, white, and black.[16] The university sponsors 16 intercollegiate sports, eight for men and eight for women: men's football, baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's tennis, men and women's golf, and women's volleyball.[17]

References
  1. "Seal of the University". University of Texas System. Retrieved October 9, 2020.Seal of the University
  2. "UTPB | Quick Facts". www.utpb.edu.
  3. "Spring Enrollment Up 15% Over Last Spring". www.utpb.edu. Retrieved 2016-03-25.
  4. "Student Enrollment". utpb.edu. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  5. King, Grace; Meacham, Gem (June 15, 2010). "William Douglas Noël". The Handbook of Texas. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
  6. "Happy 40th, UTPB!". Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  7. "The University of Texas of the Permian Basin". links.communityos.org.
  8. "Backgrounder on New Nuclear Plant Designs". United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. December 12, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  9. https://www.cbs7.com/content/news/Odessa-City-Council-approves-initial-resolution-for-UTPB-plan-to-bring-nuclear-reactor-402555035.html
  10. (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20171108034946/https://www.utpb.edu/media/pdf/public-information---pdf/REVISED11-WNPA-8160-GalaPlaybillDesign.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 8, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2012. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. https://www.utpb.edu/news/2018/09/human-performance-groundbreak
  12. https://www.utpb.edu/news/2019/10/engineering-building-grand-opening-ceremony
  13. "America Unhenged". RoadsideAmerica.com. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  14. "UTPB master plan, renaming approved". Archived from the original on August 26, 2012. Retrieved Aug 24, 2012.
  15. "Academics - Schools". University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  16. "UTPB Athletics History". UTPB Falcons. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  17. "Athletics". UTPB Falcons. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
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