The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is a public research university in San Antonio, Texas. With over 34,000 students across its four campuses spanning 758 acres, UTSA is the largest university in San Antonio and the eighth-largest by enrollment in the state of Texas. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity" and offers 159 degree options from its nine colleges. Established in 1969, UTSA has become the third largest institution within the University of Texas System by enrollment. The university has a local economic impact of $1.2 billion and the UTSA Institute for Economic Development generates $2.9 billion in direct economic impact nationwide. The university's restricted research expenditures have grown to $64.3 million while total research expenditures grew to $134 million in FY20. Student-athletes compete as the UTSA Roadrunners and are a member of Conference USA. The football team, which was founded in 2011, has competed in Conference USA since 2013, previously playing a stint in the WAC and as an FCS independent. History Establishment (1969 to 1970s) The University of Texas at San Antonio was officially founded on June 5, 1969, by the 61st Texas Legislature as H.B. 42 and signed into law by Governor Preston Smith. Frank Lombardino, a conservative Democrat who represented northwest Bexar County in the state legislature, was known as the "father of UTSA" due to his impassioned advocacy for the institution. When Governor Smith signed the bill officially establishing the university, he did so on the back of Lombardino in a ceremony in front of the Alamo. At the university's inaugural commencement, the first diploma was also signed on Lombardino's back. In 1970, the University of Texas Board of Regents appointed the university's first president, Arleigh B. Templeton, who served from 1970 to 1972, and received a land donation of in far northwest San Antonio for the site of UTSA. The architecture firm of Ford, Powell and Carson Inc. was assigned to develop a master plan for the university. O'Neil Ford, the designer of both the Tower of the Americas and the Trinity University tower, designed the campus to be reminiscent of an Italian village. The 671 graduate students composing the first class at the university were admitted in September 1973. Upperclassmen and lowerclassmen were admitted in 1975 and 1976, respectively. Students temporarily attended class at the Koger Center, which also housed administrative offices until 1975, when