The university name has undergone several changes since it was first established in 1913 as the State School of Miners and Metallurgy. Some changes and some attempts at changing the name have been accidental, technical and outright funny—there was a petition to change the name to El Paso Country Club of Pool and Pinball Machines. Here’s a breakdown of the names that preceded the one that stands, the University of Texas at El Paso.

• 1913- State School of Miners and Metallurgy 

  A spelling error established the State School of Miners—not Mines—and Metallurgy in 1913. Texas Governor Oscar B. Colquitt signed Senate Bill 183 into law on April 16, 1913, establishing the State School of Mines and Metallurgy. However, State Senator Claude Hudspeth misspelled the name when writing the bill. The name was corrected shortly thereafter.

• 1914- State School of Mines and Metallurgy
  

  On April 28, 1914, the University of Texas Board of Regents established the State School of Mines and Metallurgy after acquiring the El Paso Military Institute. The school, however, was typically called the Texas School of Mines or TSM.

• 1919- Department of Mines and Metallurgy of the University of Texas
  

  The 36th State Legislature made the school a department of the University of Texas on March 13, 1919. The school had been working mostly as independent of the board. During the board of regents meeting, the name was changed “in accordance with the present university terminology.” Texas School of Mines remained the most popular way to call the school.

• 1920- College of Mines and Metallurgy of the University of Texas
  

  inistration, the board of regents changed all academic departments to “colleges” on April 27, 1920. The school was known as the Texas College of Mines at this time.

• 1920- Texas Western College of the University of Texas
  

  After debating whether to name the college Texas Western University, the board approved changing the name to Texas Western College of the University of Texas. The 51st Legislature approved the act on May 20, 1949 under Bill 299. The school was known as Texas Western College after that.

• 1966- Texas Western College of the University of Texas at El Paso
  

  All schools under the system were to include “The University of Texas” after the board approved a resolution on May 27, 1966. Since the regents had to wait a year to ratify the bill, the school was remade Texas Western College of The University of Texas at El Paso. Texas Western College or TWC remained the popular way of calling the college.

• 1967- The University of Texas at El Paso
  

  The board of regents’ proposal was approved by the 60th legislature on March 6, 1967. The board approved the change of name and chose the abbreviation, U.T. El Paso. UTEP as an official abbreviation came in the 1990s for trademark and marketing purposes.

  Andres Rodriguez may be reached at [email protected].