The University The Robert B. Toulouse School of Graduate Studies The Board of Regents of the University of North Texas renamed the Graduate School the Robert B. Toulouse School of Graduate Studies when Toulouse retired from the university in 1990. His contributions to graduate education made the honor richly deserved. Toulouse served as graduate dean from 1954 to 1982 when he was named provost and vice president for academic affairs. During Toulouse's tenure as graduate dean, almost every graduate program currently authorized at UNT was established. His leadership role in establishing these programs helped to make UNT the most comprehensive graduate institution in the North Texas region and one of the three largest graduate institutions in the state. In addition, graduate student enrollment grew from approximately 300 students to more than 5,500 _ representing almost a third of UNT's total enrollment. Toulouse also provided the leadership in establishing the Federation of North Texas Area Universities in 1968. Toulouse's efforts also had an extraordinary effect on the development of research at the university. As dean, he pursued a goal of enhancing research across the entire campus, involving as many professors as possible to build a strong base for attracting external funding. His insight and good judgment in managing the university's limited resources for research led to major increases in the quality and impact of research at UNT. In this, he laid the foundation for the explosive increase in external research funding of the 1980s. Overview of the University The University of North Texas, with an enrollment of about 26,000 students, is the fourth-largest institution in Texas. UNT is recognized as a comprehensive teaching and research institution and as a leader in the performance of many public services, to include assisting in the economic diversification of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and the state of Texas. UNT was recommended by the Select Committee on Higher Education in 1986 for designation by the state as "an emerging national research university" and was designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in 1976, 1987 and 1994 as a "Class I Doctorate- Granting Institution." Further national recognition came in 1988 when U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett cited UNT for its innovative approach to undergraduate education in the Classic Learning Core, an integrated liberal arts curriculum similar to those usually found only in small, private colleges. In 1992, UNT was elected to full membership in the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges. Since its founding in 1890, North Texas has awarded more than 138,000 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. It has offered master's degrees since 1935 and doctoral degrees since 1950. UNT has about 63,000 active alumni in the Dallas-Fort Worth region and another 30,000 active alumni reside elsewhere. UNT is located in the city of Denton, easily accessible via interstate highway from Dallas (37 miles) and Fort Worth (35 miles). The university campus is composed of 116 structures on 455 acres. Academic and Research Programs UNT is the most comprehensive graduate and research university in the region, with 138 undergraduate and graduate majors. Approximately 25 percent of the student body is graduate students. UNT has nationally accredited professional programs in business, chemistry, clinical and counseling psychology, computer sciences, counselor education, hotel and restaurant management, interior design, journalism, library sciences, medical technology, music, public administration, recreation and leisure studies, rehabilitation studies, social work, speech-language pathology and audiology and the child development laboratory. The College of Business Administration is one of the largest in the nation as well as the most comprehensive in the region, with an undergraduate enrollment of almost 5,000 students and more than 900 master's and doctoral students. The accounting department enjoys "preferred" status among major corporations, with special strength in oil and gas accounting. UNT has the highest teacher education admission and exit standards in the state and among the highest in the nation. Its Quality Assurance Program guarantees the performance of UNT graduates of the teacher education program. UNT constitutes one of the largest centers of instructional computing in the nation, encompassing computer sciences _ one of the first such programs to be nationally accredited _ computer education and cognitive systems, business computer information systems, and library and information sciences. The innovative hospitality management degree program is the only one of its kind in the North Texas region; a master's program was initiated in 1989. The UNT College of Music is the second largest in the nation and is internationally known for the One O'Clock Lab Band, UNT Symphony, A Cappella Choir, and Center for Experimental Music and Intermedia. In 1986 the college received the Yamaha Award. The UNT School of Visual Arts is one of the most comprehensive in the region and one of the largest in the country with a faculty of international stature. UNT assists Texas in fostering economic diversification through the University Center for Economic Development and Research, the Professional Development Institute (PDI) training program in accounting and business computer information systems, the Information Systems Research Center, the Institute for Petroleum Accounting, and such science and technology research as the study of turbulence around airfoils, airline gate scheduling, the creation of fuel from municipal waste products and improved processes for the cement and lime industries. UNT regularly provides continuing education to audiences ranging from accountants to municipal clerks to electronics workers and plays host to conferences with as many as 5,000 participants with support provided by the Office of Continuing Education and Conference Management. The Radisson Hotel at UNT, as well as campus facilities, are available for public use. The University of North Texas is a true regional university, serving commuting and resident students. Approximately 3,200 students lived in campus residence halls in fall 1994. Science, Technology and Research Externally funded projects totaled more than $20 million for 1994-95, with further growth expected in the future. The state-of-the-art Science Research Building is dedicated solely to research. North Texas has widely recognized strengths in the physical and mathematical sciences, including single atom and small accelerator physics, organometallic chemistry and mathematical image processing. Biochemistry, which is shared with UNT's sister institution, the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, is well-known for research into critical human health problems. The engineering technology program was instrumental in the site selection for the regional Boeing Electronics and Texas Instruments plants. The problem-solving approach of the Institute of Applied Sciences helps Texas address its water quality needs. Research on how neural networks process and store information is a pioneering effort of the Center for Network Neuroscience. UNT is the site of the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, a program for early college admission of students drawn from among outstanding high school sophomores; the academy is a nationally unique model of integrating academy and regular university students. The University's Mission The University of North Texas is the largest and most comprehensive research and doctoral degree-granting institution in North Texas. The university is committed to excellence in teaching and the discovery and application of knowledge through research and creative activities. As a metropolitan university, the institution is dedicated to continued growth as a leader in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Denton area; the Metroplex; and state, national and international education communities. The university: conducts high-quality instruction, scholarship and service by: -fostering excellence and innovation in teaching and learning; -supporting research and creative activities that advance knowledge, strengthen undergraduate and graduate programs, and promote the application of knowledge for the benefit of society; and -accepting a primary leadership role in addressing community needs of the Metroplex region and the state; maintains a community founded on free and open inquiry, academic integrity and the examination of values; nurtures development of students by providing continuing opportunities for intellectual, physical, emotional, social and career growth; stresses understanding and appreciation of the historical, intellectual, technological, scientific and cultural nature of the search for knowledge; promotes the advancement of the arts; and supports a culturally diverse environment and advocates mutual respect for all members of the university community as they strive for excellence. The university fosters its relationship with the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth and cultivates partnerships with elementary and secondary schools, community colleges, other universities, businesses, government agencies and nonprofit organizations to improve the quality of education and community life.