Texas A&M University–Texarkana

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Texas A&M University–Texarkana


Established	1971
Type	Public University
President	Stephen R. Hensley, Ed.D.
Faculty	99
Students	1,549
Location	Texarkana, Texas, United States
Website	www.tamut.edu

Texas A&M University–Texarkana, also known as TAMU–T, is a public university located in Texarkana, Texas, USA. It is one of the newest members of The Texas A&M University System.

TAMU–T was first established as an upper-level center of Commerce, Texas based East Texas State University in 1971. The university received separate accreditation in 1980, and in September 1996 (when ETSU joined the Texas A&M System as Texas A&M University–Commerce), the Texarkana branch became a separate institution from the Commerce campus.

TAMU–T is a non-residential institution dedicated to offering career-oriented studies, awarding undergraduate and graduate degrees in the areas of business administration, arts and sciences, and education. Students in adjacent counties of Oklahoma and Arkansas attend at in-state tuition rates, and historically 28 percent of the student body is from Arkansas and approximately 68 percent is enrolled part-time.

1 University overview
2 Facilities
3 References
4 External links

[edit] University overview

Texas A&M University–Texarkana offers flexible, year-round courses with mini-terms offered between semesters. Students select from six degrees and 11 majors at the undergraduate level, four degrees and 11 disciplines at the master's degree level, and can obtain 29 graduate and undergraduate certifications and endorsements in the teaching profession. One of the university's fastest growing degree programs is the bachelor of applied arts and sciences, which can award college credit for learning experience gained at work. The fall 2000 semester will see additional baccalaureate degrees in nursing and biology, and a master's degree in educational administration. In 1997, TAMU–T teamed with area public schools and community colleges to offer a new program called "Teacher Bound," which enables teacher aides to become fully certified classroom teachers.

Main entrance of TAMU–T

In 1995, the university's new field-based teacher education program redesigned the way teachers are prepared for the classroom and won two national awards for innovation. In fall 1995, TAMU–T and Texarkana College (the two share a physical facility) cooperated to offer a joint four-year science specialization for elementary education majors by sharing faculty and facilities to prepare outstanding science teachers. TAMU–T and Northeast Texas Community College also have a partnership whereby NTCC students can earn TAMU–T degrees in teacher education and criminal justice while taking all classes at NTCC.

TAMU–T counseling students since 1987 have achieved a 100 percent first-time passage rate on the licensed professional counselor exam.

[edit] Facilities

TAMU–T occupies the A.M. and Welma Aikin Instructional Systems Center, which contains all classrooms, labs, staff, faculty, administrative and student services offices. In fall 1997, TAMU–T broke ground on a new addition to its main building, which doubled classroom space and added state-of-the-art instructional and faculty facilities.

The much anticipated construction at the new campus has begun. Texas A&M University-Texarkana is in the process of building a new campus near Bringle Lake on the north side of the city, approximately five miles from the existing campus. The project has been made possible in part by a generous gift of 300 plus acres of land by the City of Texarkana, Texas and funding from the Texas State Legislature.

The first building currently under construction is the Science & Technology Building. The three level, 42,000 square foot building, will house Bio Science, the proposed Electrical Engineering program and Information Sciences. Construction began in August 2006 with a projected completion date of January 2008. A parking lot, adjacent to the building, is also under construction.

A joint groundbreaking ceremony with Texarkana Independent School District was held Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at the new site of the Martha & Josh Morriss Mathematics & Engineering Elementary School on McKnight Road.^[1]