John Connally was Texas governor.
Preston Smith was lieutenant governor.
Ben Barnes was speaker of the house.
Those giants in Texas history formed the backdrop for the establishment of the Institute of Urban Affairs, The University of Texas at Arlington's link to cities, counties and entities seeking help in urban issues.
The Texas Legislature approved Senate Bill 464, sponsored by state Sen. Don Kennard, D-Fort Worth, in 1967 during the 60th Legislative Session. It directed the UT System Board of Regents to establish and maintain the Institute for Urban Studies in the Fort Worth-Dallas metropolitan area.
Charged with addressing Texas' growing urban challenges, the Institute had immediate tasks to address. By 1965, more than 75 percent of Texas' population lived in cities - primarily Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio - compared with only 45 percent in 1940.
Soon after the Institute's creation, a master's program, three faculty and 15 students started studying urban issues and public affairs. SUPA became a reality in 1990 and evolved into a highly ranked school with seven degree programs and close to 1,000 students.
In 2015, UTA's School of Urban and Public Affairs merged with the School of Architecture to become a new collaborative - the College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs or CAPPA.
To honor the rich histories of those two schools, CAPPA will host the "SOA + SUPA 50th Anniversaries Exhibit" through Oct. 6 in the Max W. Sullivan Gallery located in the CAPPA building, 601 W. Nedderman Drive.
Click here to read more about the exhibit
Education, News, UT Arlington