SPI Insights

More than $3 billion in tuition revenue bonds will fully fund 47 capital projects at all state university systems, independent institutions, and state technical colleges with the governor’s signing of SB 52 on October 25.

The Texas Legislature passed the bill with an emphasis on renovation, projects to replace inoperable buildings, and deferred maintenance and construction for regional campuses.

Texas A&M University System construction and renovation projects will benefit from more than $727.42 million in state funding with appropriations going to its campuses in Commerce, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Kingsville, Texarkana, San Antonio, West Texas, and Central Texas, as well as its Health Science Center in Houston, International University in Laredo, Tarleton State University, Prairie View A&M University, and RELLIS campus.

Sixteen projects under The University of Texas (UT) System will receive $834.2 million with funding going to various campuses.

UT-Arlington will receive $52.4 million, UT-Austin will get $56.15 million, and J.J. Pickle Research Campus was appropriated $56.15 million.

UT-Dallas and UT-El Paso will each receive $52.4 million. Nearly $45 million will go to renovations at UT-Permian Basin, while UT-Rio Grande Valley will receive the same amount to construct a new building. The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio will get $59.9 million, and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center will receive $69.9 million.

All of $208.5 million in state funding for Texas State Technical College will go toward expansions at its campuses in Williamson County, Fort Bend County, Harlingen, Marshall, North Texas, West Texas, and Waco.

Legislators appropriated more than $287.16 million to The University of Houston System (UH) for construction projects at its Hobby School of Public Affairs and campuses in Sugar Land, downtown Houston, Clear Lake, and Victoria.

The Texas State University System (TSUS) will receive funding for projects at its Lamar State College’s Orange and Port Arthur campuses, Lamar University, and Lamar Institute of Technology. As part of TSUS, Sam Houston State University will get $254.4 million for three building construction projects.

Texas Woman’s University and Stephen F. Austin State University were authorized to improve their facilities for sums not to exceed $100 million and $44.9 million, respectively. Texas Southern University will get $95.2 million for renovation and construction projects while the University of North Texas System will receive $273.3 million.

All totaled, Texas Tech University will receive $80 million while Midwestern State University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center will receive state funding for renovations and upgrades to existing facilities. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso will get $59.9 million.