Texas Tech University System Chancellor Visits San Angelo

Texas Tech University system chancellor Kent Hance says this was not the first visit to San Angelo. But it was a first. Kent Hance -- This is great day for Texas Tech university, a great day for Angelo State. This was the tech chancellors first visit to San Angelo since the state legislature approved Angelo State universitys move to the Texas Tech university system. He told a luncheon crowd made up largely of a-s-u alumni he would like to see Angelo States enrollment hit ten thousand by 2020. But he says the merger of the two universities could produce growth for A-S-U in the immediate future. Hance -- One thing that I think is very important is that we turn down around four to five thousand students every year that are quality students. And so starting next year when we do that, we will tell them, "you can still be in the Texas Tech system, and we have a sister school, Angelo State." Hance says his goal for Texas Tech enrollment is 40-thousand by the year 2020. This crowd also included state senator Robert Duncan of Lubbock, and representative Drew Darby of San Angelo, the state lawmakers who introduced and fought for passage of the legislation making the tech - A-S-U merger official. Darby -- Everybody in the state is looking towards Angelo State university and the Texas Tech system to see how this works. Because I think theres going to be a push in the next legislative sessions to realign institutions into systems. So i think were the blueprint, and Im very much pleased with the progress weve made in that regard. Duncan -- I just think that we have a great team of people in place to make this work. Chancellor Hance, I know, is committed to this. Without his commitment and leadership it wouldnt have happened and so were really on the right track. Hance told the crowd the a-s-u - tech merger also offers potential for cooperation between the universitys physics departments, its nursing and agricultural programs. A-S-U officially becomes part of the Texas Tech university system September first. Joel fox, k-l-s-t news.