Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a public university in Beaumont, Texas. Lamar has been a member of the Texas State University System since 1995. It was the flagship institution of the former Lamar University System. As of the fall of 2016, the university enrollment was 15,022 students. Lamar University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The university is named for Mirabeau B. Lamar, the second president of the Republic of Texas.