▁of ▁direct ors , ▁view ing ▁ASC ▁as ▁a ▁threat ▁to ▁the ▁College ▁Station ▁campus , ▁with h eld ▁construction ▁fund ing ▁and ▁blocked ▁degree ▁development . ▁ ▁University ▁of ▁Texas ▁System ▁( 1 9 6 5 – present ) ▁ ▁The ▁decision ▁by ▁the ▁Texas ▁A & M ▁University ▁gover ning ▁board ▁to ▁block ▁development ▁at ▁Ar ling ton ▁State ▁College ▁led ▁officials ▁of ▁the ▁College ▁and ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁Ar ling ton ▁citizens ▁to ▁en list ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁Governor ▁John ▁Con n ally ▁and ▁key ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Texas ▁Legisl ature ▁to ▁separate ▁Ar ling ton ▁State ▁College ▁from ▁the ▁Texas ▁A & M ▁University ▁System ▁and ▁to ▁join ▁The ▁University ▁of ▁Texas ▁System . ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁plan ▁that ▁re organ ized ▁several ▁university ▁systems ▁in ▁Texas , ▁Ar ling ton ▁State ▁College ▁officially ▁became ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁The ▁University ▁of ▁Texas ▁System ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁To ▁reflect ▁its ▁new ▁membership ▁within ▁the ▁U T ▁System , ▁the ▁university ▁adopted ▁its ▁current ▁name ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁ ▁Jo ining ▁the ▁U T ▁System ▁was ▁of ▁immediate ▁consequence . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁the ▁Gr adu ate ▁School ▁was ▁established ▁with ▁an ▁initial ▁sl ate ▁of ▁six ▁master ' s ▁degrees ▁and ▁new ▁construction ▁projects ▁started . ▁The ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁appro val ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁Ph D ▁program , ▁in ▁engineering , ▁was ▁a ▁land mark ▁event ▁which ▁set ▁a ▁preced ent