Huston-Tillotson University is affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ, and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). HT, in Austin, is a coeducational college of liberal arts and sciences, operating jointly under the auspices of the American Missionary Association of the United Church of Christ, and the Board of Education of The United Methodist Church. Huston-Tillotson College officially changed its name to Huston-Tillotson University on February 28, 2005.

Huston-Tillotson College was formed by the merger of Samuel Huston College and Tillotson College, which was effective on October 24, 1952. Huston-Tillotson College remained primarily a black college after the merger, although there were no restrictions as to race.

Huston-Tillotson University awards undergraduates, four year degrees in business, education, the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, science and technology. A multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-faith institution, the University welcomes students of all ages, races, and religions.

In 1966 the 19-acre campus contained an administration building, science building, two residence halls, student union-dining hall, gymnasium-auditorium, music hall, lounge, and two other halls. The Downs-Jones Library subscribes to more than 350 periodicals, and is a member of TexShare, a library resource-sharing program which enables students, faculty, and staff to borrow books from other member libraries. By the early 1970s new buildings included a classroom-administration building, a chapel, an addition of three wings to the women’s dormitory, and an addition of two wings to the men’s residence hall. In 2004, the first phase of renovation work was completed on the Old Administration Building and it reopened after standing unoccupied for 35 years. The Downs-Jones Library and both residence halls were updated in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Mary E. Branch and William H. Jones, past presidents of Tillotson College and Karl E. Downs, Robert Harrington, and Willis J. King, past presidents of Samuel Huston College, undertook cooperative sponsorship of several academic activities beginning in 1945. Matthew S. Davage served as interim president during the transition period. He retired in 1955 and was succeeded by J.J Seabrook, the first permanent president of Huston-Tillotson. Upon Seabrook’s retirement in 1965, John Q. Taylor King became president. King was president in the 1974-75 term, when the enrollment was 696 students. King retired in 1988 and Joseph T. McMillan, Jr., succeeded him. In the fall of 1998 there were 59 faculty members and 621 students at Huston-Tillotson University. Larry L. Earvin became the fifth president of the University in 2000 and moved the institution to university status.

The University is a not-for-profit corporation. The president serves as chief executive officer of the corporation.

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