They do, but we’re talking four-year universities here. Community colleges in Texas started popping up in the 1920s. The Dallas County Community College District (now Dallas College) is huge, but it’s not a “university system.”
Also, there’s the Texas A&M College System for two-year schools—but again, that’s a different category. For traditional university systems, UT is the undisputed champ of oldness.
Okay, but does being the oldest really matter?
It matters if you like bragging rights or if you want to teach at a place with a rich history. But honestly? Not all old things are great. I mean, I’ve seen a 100-year-old sandwich, and I wouldn’t eat it.
What does matter is that the UT System has serious clout. It graduates tons of doctors, engineers, and artists. It has the largest library system in the world. Yes, world. The main library at UT Austin holds 10 million volumes. That’s enough books to build a fort for a small army.
