Texas State too big to fail?

Texas State too big to fail?

by: Jacob Goodman



Texas State university welcomed the largest freshman class in the university's history in 2013 marking the 16th consecutive year the university grew, but this growth is dividing the university.

According to the University News Service, the 2013 fall enrollment was 35,568, an increase of 1,343 students from the year before.  President Denise M. Trauth said in a statement that this record enrollment demonstrates that Texas State continues to be a leading university in the state, but this growth does not come without drawbacks.

The university is a maze of construction, parking shortages, and crowds.  Students have noticed these inconveniences but remain sharply divided on the university's continued expansion.





Annat Rosenthal



"They should expand physically like adding more dorms and room before more students," said Anne Rosenthal business major at Texas State.

Bridgette Menard, business and dance major at Texas State agreed.

"It should continue to grow hopefully more students means more privileges like better options for food, buses, and things like that," she said.

 The increasing enrollment at Texas State is not only creating congestion across campus but also in cyberspace.

"It makes it hard to register for classes I want because of all the people in the school," said Jesse Bermea, sophomore business major at Texas State. 

  Not all of the students at Texas State view the increase negatively.

"its big but it still feels like a small university," said freshman Kelly Wright.

Texas State's infrastructure is also tied to the city of San Marcos.  

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population estimate of San Marcos was 50,001 in 2012, up from 44,894 in the 2010, an 11.4 percent growth rate.  San Marcos also had a total of 18,179 housing units according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  If the university continues to grow, more housing units and better transportation will become a necessity.  Simultaneously the city must make the same improvements.

"San Marcos as an entire community needs to grow and improve before it can accommodate more students.  We have enough troubles as is, waiting for buses or trying to get to places because some are only one way," said Mayson Hornsby, sophomore dance major at Texas State.

If Texas State can continue to meet housing and transportation needs then the growth will continue, but the construction is also creating complaints.

"There is always construction.  They could do a better job at creating better buildings and facilities," said Ashley Jeffries, music major.

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The student body is divided on whether or not the university should continue to grow.  Some students are voicing complaints and others are voicing anticipation for improvement.  Still others, such as sophomore Derek Thigpen, are undecided.

"Yes I think that it should because it is always good to grow.  Then I think that it shouldn't because then they will start charging more money," said Thigpen.