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2025: ĢƵ Dallas STEM building opens
December 2025, University leaders, elected officials, ĢƵ System colleagues, healthcare practitioners, and other dignitaries marked the occasion with a ribbon-cutting near the same spot where groundbreaking was held two years ago. It will open for Spring semester classes on Jan. 12, 2026.
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2025: ĢƵ Health President Dr. Kirk Calhoun takes office
Dr. Kirk Calhoun becomes the eighth president of ĢƵ Health after serving as interim president since February 2025. Calhoun most recently served as president of The University of Texas at Tyler. He succeeds Dr. Sylvia Trent-Adams.
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2025: ĢƵ Dallas President Dr. Warren von Eschenbach takes office
Dr. von Eschenbach has served as Interim President of ĢƵ Dallas since April 2024. The ĢƵ System Board of Regents appointed him as the fourth president in the University of North Texas at Dallas’s 15-year history. He succeeds Bob Mong.
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2024: ĢƵ President Harrison Keller takes office
Dr. Keller, former commissioner and chief executive officer of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, becomes the seventeenth president of ĢƵ. He succeeds Dr. Neal Smatresk.
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2023: Texas Voters Approve Proposition 5 for ĢƵ Funding
Texas voters overwhelmingly approved a proposition on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023 that will provide transformational research funding for the ĢƵ, Texas State University, the University of Houston and Texas Tech University.
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2023: ĢƵ Dallas STEM groundbreaking
University leaders, healthcare professionals, elected officials, and community partners broke ground on an innovative, state-of-the-art $100 million STEM complex at the University of North Texas at Dallas. The facility will pave the way for a new level of instruction, research, and collaboration.
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2023: ĢƵ Health Science Center selects a dean for College of Nursing
Dr. Cindy Weston will lead the strategic planning, recruitment of personnel, and development of partnerships for the college, which is set to launch in the fall of 2024.
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2023: ĢƵ Health Science Center to launch College of Nursing
In February, the ĢƵ System Board of Regents voted to approve the College of Nursing at the ĢƵ Health Science Center at Fort Worth.
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2023: First building at ĢƵ at Frisco opens
A ribbon cutting ceremony at the ĢƵ at Frisco branch campus with ĢƵ President Neal Smatresk opens the new state-of-the-art 135,000-square-foot Frisco Landing building before the start of the Spring semester on January 17.
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2022: ĢƵ Health Science Center president Dr. Sylvia Trent-Adams takes office
Dr. Trent-Adams became the seventh president of HSC, succeeding Dr. Williams. She served as HSC’s executive vice president and chief strategy officer prior to being elevated to president. Dr. Trent-Adams also served from 2015 to 2018 as the Deputy Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
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2022: ĢƵ at Frisco construction continues
Building of the Frisco Landing structure began in fall 2020, and classes are expected to begin at the campus in Spring 2023. The ĢƵ at Frisco master plan will guide the growth and development for decades.
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2022: ĢƵ Dallas College of Law receives full accreditation
Full approval from the American Bar Association (ABA) provides even more opportunities for ĢƵ Dallas College of Law students and prospective students.
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2022: ĢƵ System Chancellor Michael Williams takes office
Michael Williams, former president of ĢƵ Health Science Center, takes office as the fourth Chancellor of the ĢƵ System.
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2020: ĢƵ joins ĢƵ Dallas as Hispanic/Minority Serving Institution
ĢƵ is designated a Hispanic Serving/Minority Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, joining ĢƵ Dallas.
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2019: ĢƵ System Opens Four Buildings
The ĢƵ System and its member institutions completed and opened four new, or renovated, facilities totaling more than $300 million, including ĢƵ's College of Visual Arts & Design, HSC's Interdisciplinary Research Building, ĢƵ Dallas' Student Center and the ĢƵ Dallas Law Center.
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2020: ĢƵ Dallas Launches Intercollegiate Athletics Program
ĢƵ Dallas launched its NAIA intercollegiate athletics program in September 2021 with its first-ever cross county meet. The Trailblazers began intercollegiate competition in three sports for both men and women -- cross country, basketball and track & field.
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2017: ĢƵ System Chancellor Lesa Roe takes office
Lesa Roe, former Deputy Administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), takes office as the third Chancellor, and first-ever woman, of the University of North Texas System.
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2017: ĢƵD College of Law granted provision accreditation
ĢƵ Dallas College of Law is granted provision accreditation by the American Bar Association in the same year its first class graduates.
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2017: ĢƵ System acquires the Old Municipal Building
ĢƵ System acquires the City of Dallas Municipal Building (106 S. Harwood) to become the permanent home of ĢƵ Dallas College of Law.
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2016: ĢƵ Dallas breaks ground on first residence hall
ĢƵ Dallas breaks ground on its first campus residence hall, a milestone signifying the university’s continued growth.
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2016: ĢƵ ranked as top-tier research university
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education™ ranks ĢƵ among the nation's 115 top-tier research universities.
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2015: ĢƵ Dallas College of Law files for provisional accreditation
ĢƵ Dallas College of Law files application for provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association for 2016.
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2015: Bob Mong named ĢƵ Dallas President
ĢƵ Dallas names former Editor-in-Chief of the Dallas Morning News, Bob Mong, as President. -

2014: ĢƵ Dallas College of Law admits first class
ĢƵ Dallas College of Law admits its first class consisting of 150 students.
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2014: College of Pharmacy program awarded Candidate Status
The ĢƵ System College of Pharmacy's Doctor of Pharmacy program is awarded Candidate Status by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). -

2013: ĢƵ names Dr. Smatresk as President
ĢƵ names Dr. Neal Smatresk as President.
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2013: College of Pharmacy admits first class
ĢƵ System College of Pharmacy admits first class.
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2013: ĢƵ Dallas awarded accreditation
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) grants accreditation to ĢƵ Dallas to award baccalaureate and master’s degrees.
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2011 Texas Gov. Perry helps establish College of Pharmacy
Texas Gov. Rick Perry signs HB 4 establishing the ĢƵ System College of Pharmacy.
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2010: ĢƵ Dallas opens
The ĢƵ at Dallas officially opens as the third independent institution of higher education in the ĢƵ System.
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2009: ĢƵ System headquarters moves to Dallas
ĢƵ System headquarters moves to 1901 Main Street in downtown Dallas.
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2009: ĢƵ Dallas College of Law approved
The State of Texas approves ĢƵ Dallas College of Law and earmarks $5 million of the State’s 2011-2012 budget for the law school.
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2009: ĢƵ Dallas becomes stand-alone institution
Gov. Rick Perry signs Senate Bill 629, allowing ĢƵ Dallas to become a stand-alone institution.
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2008: ĢƵ System acquires 1901 Main St.
ĢƵ System acquires 1901 Main Street in downtown Dallas as an eight-story classroom and office facility.
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2006: ĢƵ System acquires Majestic Lofts
ĢƵ System acquires Majestic Lofts, located at 1900 Elm Street in downtown Dallas, next to the ĢƵ System Headquarters building.
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2002: Judge Lee F. Jackson named Chancellor
Dr. Al Hurley retires as ĢƵ System Chancellor and the Board of Regents appoints Dallas County Judge Lee F. Jackson as Chancellor.
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2001: ĢƵ System acquires land for ĢƵ Dallas campus
ĢƵ System acquires 202 acres of attractive, undeveloped land between Camp Wisdom Road and I-20 to be the permanent campus of ĢƵ Dallas.
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2001: SB 576 approves creation of ĢƵ Dallas
Gov. Rick Perry signs Senate Bill 576, formally approving the creation of an independent ĢƵ at Dallas.
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2001: Formal ĢƵ System status takes effect
Formal ĢƵ System status takes effect on January 1 with System offices headquartered on ĢƵ campus in Denton.
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2000: ĢƵ announces Norval Pohl as President
Board of Regents appoint Dr. Norval Pohl as President of ĢƵ, while Dr. Hurley becomes the ĢƵ System's first full-time Chancellor.
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2000: Chancellor and ĢƵ President positions separated
Board of Regents separate Chancellor and ĢƵ President positions.
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1999: ĢƵ System created
Senate Bill 751 passes to formally create the ĢƵ System.
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1993: ĢƵ Health Science Center is formed
Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) is renamed the ĢƵ Health Science Center at Fort Wort.
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1988: North Texas State renamed
North Texas State University is renamed the ĢƵ.
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1982: Dr. Hurley named Chancellor and President
Board of Regents appoints Dr. Al Hurley as Chancellor and President of North Texas State University System and Chancellor of TCOM.
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1975: Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe signs TCOM under North Texas State
Senate Bill 216 placed the then-private TCOM under the oversight of the North Texas State University Board of Regents, making it a state-supported medical school and the second public institution in the ĢƵ System.
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1970: TCOM founded
Private Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) is founded by doctors in Fort Worth, laying the foundation for what will later become the ĢƵ Health & Science Center.
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1961: North Texas State College renamed
North Texas State College is renamed North Texas State University.
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1963: First doctoral degrees awarded
North Texas State College awards first doctoral degrees.
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1949: North Texas State Teachers College renamed
North Texas State Teachers College is renamed to North Texas State College.
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1946: First "Jazz Studies" degree established
North Texas State Teachers College establishes first "Jazz Studies" degree in the nation.
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1923: North Texas State Normal College renamed
North Texas State Normal College is renamed North Texas State Teachers College.
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1913: Intercollegiate football begins
Intercollegiate football begins at North Texas State Normal College.
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1913: Enrollment surpasses 1,000
Enrollment at North Texas State Normal College surpasses 1,000.
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1901-1906: Joel Sutton Kendall, first President of North Texas Normal College
J.S. Kendall (1849-1906) became the first principal (the title "president" was not extended to the heads of Texas teachers' colleges until about 1910) of North Texas Normal College. He pressed for increased state funding for the construction of new facilities and the repair of existing facilities on the 10-acre campus.
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1901: North Texas Normal College renamed
North Texas Normal College is renamed North Texas State Normal College.
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1899: Legislation for state college status
Legislation is signed to make North Texas Normal College a state college.
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1894: Teachers' Training Institute renamed
Texas Normal College and Teachers' Training Institute is renamed North Texas Normal College.
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1890: ĢƵ founded
ĢƵ is founded as Texas Normal College and Teacher Training Institute by President Joshua C. Chilton.
History Timeline