Texas State University-San Marcos has used the slogan “The rising star of Texas” since September 2005. In October 2008, it was proposed to eliminate the word “rising” to simply the Texas State slogan as “The star of Texas.”
 
 
About Texas State
TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY
SAN MARCOS
The rising STAR of Texas
Texas State’s 29,125 students choose from 109 bachelor’s, 88 master’s and eight doctoral degree programs offered by the following colleges: Applied Arts, McCoy College of Business Administration, Education, Fine Arts and Communication, Health Professions, Liberal Arts, Science, University College and the Graduate College.
 
Texas State students come from around the globe, and our student body is diverse. Thirty-two percent of Texas State students are ethnic minorities. In fact, Texas State is ranked 16th in the nation for the number of degrees we grant to Hispanic undergraduates. See the University Factbook for more information on our student body.

Location
Texas State’s main campus is in San Marcos, a growing community of 50,000 people about halfway between Austin and San Antonio. Located on the edge of the Texas Hill Country, where black land prairies roll into beautiful hills, Texas State enjoys a setting that is unique among Texas universities.

The beauty of the crystal-clear San Marcos River and the stately cypress and pecan trees on the campus adds to the charm of the university’s picturesque setting. Our location on the banks of the San Marcos River provides recreational activities for students throughout the year.
 
Since 2005, Texas State has also offered bachelor’s and graduate-level courses in Round Rock, Texas, at our Round Rock Higher Education Center (RRHEC) campus, located north of Austin. More than 1,500 students are enrolled at the RRHEC.

San Marcos Campus
As the university’s student population has grown — from 303 in 1903 to 29,125 in 2008 — our San Marcos campus, too, has expanded. Today it consists of a 457-acre main campus and 4,777 additional acres in recreational, instructional, farm and ranch land.
 
The Texas State campus is as diverse as the students who live and learn here. Our hilly campus is home to 225 buildings. Some, like Old Main, are as old as the university itself. Others, such as the brand-new McCoy Hall, with flat screen monitors rather than bulletin boards, and the Mitte Complex, which contains a high-tech clean room and microchip fabrication lab, are cutting-edge facilities.
 
At the Aquarena Center on the Texas State campus, you can see the second-largest springs in Texas through the floor of a glass-bottom boat. These springs feed the San Marcos River and are home to eight endangered species, including the Texas Blind Salamander. In fact, as the site of the Aquarena Center, River Systems Institute and Edwards Aquifer Research and Data Center, our campus is one of the best places in the world to study aquatic ecosystems and species.

History
Authorized by the Texas Legislature in 1899, Southwest Texas State Normal School opened its doors in 1903. Over the years, the Legislature broadened the institution’s scope and changed its name, in succession, to Normal College, Teachers College, College, University, and in 2003 to Texas State University-San Marcos. Each name reflects the university’s growth from a small teacher preparation institution to a major, multipurpose university. Texas State’s original mission was to prepare Texas public school teachers. It became renowned for carrying out this mission, but today it does far more.
 
15 September 2006, Austin (TX) American-Statesman, “Texas State reveals LBJ statue as part of image overhaul” by Molly Bloom, pg. B1:
In a marketing campaign promoting Texas State as “the rising star of Texas,” the school touts its Princeton Review ranking as one of “America’s Best Value ...
     
Access My Library
Texas State U.-San Marcos: COLUMN: Texas State U.‘s attempt to revamp image long overdue.
(From University Wire)
Byline: Sean Wardwell
Publication Date: 21-SEP-06
(...)
Look at the new slogan: “The rising STAR of Texas.” That slogan just makes my skin crawl whenever I see it. Are we a rising star? Boy, I hope so.”
     
The University Star (Texas State newspaper)
ASG decides slogan, spirit day
Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 9:33 am | By Alex Hering
ASG voted Monday to change the university slogan to “The Star of Texas” upon reaching Football Bowl Subdivision and the completion of the Texas State Master Plan.
 
ASG discussed the bill with administrators last week and concluded the appropriate time to change the slogan would be in five to six years when the Master Plan and the “drive to FBS” have been accomplished.
 
The Master Plan is university officials’ decision to construct new buildings and renovate others. Construction includes a new bus loop and green space and extensions of The Quad. The university aims to move athletics up from the Football Championship Subdivision to a higher playing status.

ASG Sen. Justin Collard said Michael Heintze, associate vice president of enrollment management, advised against the immediate change because the university recently “gained control” of the new slogan with a trademark.
 
“He said it’s only been two years since we have had it,” Collard said. “He advised that we keep the slogan until we have more backing to change it from ‘The Rising Star of Texas’ to the ‘The Star of Texas.’”
 
Collard said reaching FBS status and the completion of the Master Plan would occur around the same time, five to six years.
 
ASG Sen. Tommy Luna said he supports the bill.
 
“Our star can get brighter,” Luna said. “I believe our university is better than any other in the state. I would put our administration up against any other in the state. I would put our student leaders up against any other in the state. I would also put Doc Augustine up against any Harvard professor.”

He said the slogan should be changed sooner than the legislation called for.

“If we wait, the inertia we will have to fight in five to six years might be too difficult to pass,” Luna said. “It might be a battle that is too hard to fight later on.”
 
The connotation of the word “rising” made the university sound “second rate,” Collard said.
 
“It connotes that we have been fighting our way up,” Collard said. “After we become ‘the Star of Texas,’ that will not mean that we are done or that we are going to stay a stagnant university.”
 
ASG Sen. Hunter Fite said the legislation did nothing for Texas State.
 
“This is completely pointless,” Fite said. “Why would we spend time or money on this when it is something that will not do anything for the school? Our slogan means we are going above and beyond but (the slogan ‘The Star of Texas’) means we can not get any better than that.”
 
ASG Sen. Ariana Vargas said the bill was well timed and appropriate.
 
“If we wait until after FBS and the master plan, I think it gives time for people to get used to (the current slogan),” Vargas said. “But if we are going to get better then why shouldn’t we have a better name?“
 
ASG passed a bill naming every Thursday “Maroon Day,” in which a tent will be set up promoting all upcoming athletic events.
 
The legislation stated ASG will sell Maroon Day T-shirts and refreshments.
 
It further stated competitions for “Most Spirited” will be hosted at the tent, giving winners a $100 prize from the Maroon Day fund.
 
ASG President Brett Baker said students would respond to the tent and Maroon Day activities.
 
“This bill has a lot of potential,” Baker said. “It’s part of what we have been pushing for: Today’s vision, tomorrow’s tradition. This encompasses all of that. This is a reflection of the fact that students are excited to be here. They don’t want just Texas to know, they want Texas, the country and the world to know they go to Texas State.”
 
(Trademark)
Word Mark THE RISING STAR OF TEXAS
Goods and Services IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, NAMELY, PROVIDING COLLEGE AND GRADUATE LEVEL COURSES OF INSTRUCTION, CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES AND SEMINARS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN ACADEMIC RESEARCH; AND ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES, NAMELY, PROVIDING COLLEGE LEVEL ATHLETIC AND SPORTING EVENTS, LIVE MUSICAL CONCERTS AND LIVE PERFORMANCES OF DRAMATIC WORKS. FIRST USE: 20050901. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20050901
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Trademark Search Facility Classification Code SHAPES-MISC Miscellaneous shaped designs
Serial Number 76670674
Filing Date December 22, 2006
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition January 22, 2008
Registration Number 3407715
Registration Date April 8, 2008
Owner (REGISTRANT) Texas State University-San Marcos STATE AGENCY TEXAS 601 University Drive San Marcos TEXAS 78666
Attorney of Record Jerry M. Keys
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE “TEXAS” APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE