Texas A&M International University
Encyclopedia
Texas A&M International University, often referred to as TAMIU, is a public
, co-educational, state-supported university
located in Laredo, Texas
. It is a member institution of The Texas A&M University System
.
, and doctoral degrees through five colleges. They include:
Taught by gifted faculty from throughout the world, programs focus on developing strong undergraduate and graduate offerings with a progressive agenda for global study and understanding across all disciplines. Through international instruction, faculty and student research, and public service, TAMIU is a strategic point of delivery for well-defined programs and services that improve the quality of life for the citizens of the border region, the State of Texas, and national and international communities. Fall 2010 enrollment was 6,853 (combined undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students). Full-time faculty number 210. The Teacher/Student ratio is 1:21. Over 90 percent of students are Hispanic minority and 3 percent are international students. Some 11.5 percent of students live on campus. The University has aggressive financial aid and Study Abroad programs. Recently TAMIU has implemented a campus Common Read program featuring books by Gerda Weissmann Klein
, Ishmael Beah
and Somaly Mam.
to award bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.
The undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Business Administration are accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
The College of Nursing and Health Sciences' Dr. F.M. Canseco School of Nursing is accredited by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.
Texas A&M International University is also accredited by the Texas Education Agency.
Texas A&M International University is a member of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the American Council on Education and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
is the only fully locally-offered (non-collaborative) doctoral degree offered by the University.
The Princeton Review has named the A.R. Sanchez The School of Business a “Best Business School” in its 2006 and 2008 editions. The 2008 edition of The Princeton Review also lists the School as a Top Ten for Business Schools offering the greatest opportunity for minority students.http://www.tamiu.edu/newsinfo/10-20-05/article1.shtml
One of the institution's largest private benefactors was Radcliffe Killam
(1910-2007), a Laredo oilman who donated $2 million to establish The Center for Western Hemispheric Trade, in addition to the University's 300 acres (1.2 km²) campus land. Killam and his wife, the former Sue Spivey, were honored by TAMIU with honorary doctorates and the naming of the Radcliffe and Sue Killam Library
.
. They became active members of NCAA Division II on September 1, 2008. As an active member, TAMIU is eligible for conference championships and NCAA tournament berths.
TAMIU participates in the following sports:
Public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individuals, and the public is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the Öffentlichkeit or public sphere. The concept of a public has also been defined in political science,...
, co-educational, state-supported university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
located in Laredo, Texas
Laredo, Texas
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
. It is a member institution of The Texas A&M University System
Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the United States. Through a statewide network of eleven universities, eight state agencies and a comprehensive health science center, the Texas A&M System educates over 100,000 students, conducts more than $600...
.
History
- 1969: Established as a branch of Texas A&I University at Kingsville, and named Texas A&I University at Laredo, functioning as an upper-level University for juniors, seniors, and graduate students. The Senate bill was introduced by Wayne ConnallyWayne ConnallyWayne Wright Connally was a Texas rancher, a Democratic member of both houses of the Texas State Legislature, and a brother of both former Governor and United States Treasury Secretary John Bowden Connally, Jr., and Merrill Lee Connally, Sr., an actor and a former county judge.-Early years,...
, brother of Governor of TexasGovernor of TexasThe governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
John B. Connally, Jr.John ConnallyJohn Bowden Connally, Jr. , was an influential American politician, serving as the 39th governor of Texas, Secretary of the Navy under President John F. Kennedy, and as Secretary of the Treasury under President Richard M. Nixon. While he was Governor in 1963, Connally was a passenger in the car in... - 1977: University's name changes to Laredo State University.
- 1989: University joins The Texas A&M University System.
- 1993: Name changes to Texas A&M International University.
- 1995: An unsuccessful attempt is made to transfer TAMIU to the University of Texas SystemUniversity of Texas SystemThe University of Texas System encompasses 15 educational institutions in Texas, of which nine are academic universities and six are health institutions. The system is headquartered in Austin and has a total enrollment of over 190,000 students...
. TAMIU becomes a four-year University, welcomes its first freshman class and opens its new campus, the first new University campus constructed in Texas in over 25 years. - 2001: Ray Keck III succeeds J. Charles Jennett as university president.
- 2004: Doctoral program in International Business Administration is launched.
- 2006: Early College High School joins TAMIU (in collaboration with Laredo Independent School DistrictLaredo Independent School DistrictLaredo Independent School District is a public school district based in Laredo, Texas . The district serves the south central portion of Laredo.In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency....
). - 2009: 40th Anniversary Celebration (2009-2010) begins.
- 2010: Dedicates Autism Interventions Center.
- 2010: Dedicates new University Success Center.
Academics
Texas A&M International University offers undergraduate, graduateGraduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
, and doctoral degrees through five colleges. They include:
- College of Arts and Sciences
- A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business
- College of Education
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences
About
Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) is a Member of The Texas A&M University System and boasts a $160 million cutting-edge campus on a 300 acres (1.2 km²) site in Laredo, Texas. The newest University in the State of Texas, TAMIU offers 32 undergraduate and 28 graduate degrees in the arts and sciences, business administration, and nursing. The A.R. Sánchez, Jr. School of Business was recently named one of the “Best 296 Business Schools” by The Princeton Review and ranked in the Top Ten for offering the greatest opportunity for minority students. The Sanchez School of Business offers a doctoral degree in international business.Taught by gifted faculty from throughout the world, programs focus on developing strong undergraduate and graduate offerings with a progressive agenda for global study and understanding across all disciplines. Through international instruction, faculty and student research, and public service, TAMIU is a strategic point of delivery for well-defined programs and services that improve the quality of life for the citizens of the border region, the State of Texas, and national and international communities. Fall 2010 enrollment was 6,853 (combined undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students). Full-time faculty number 210. The Teacher/Student ratio is 1:21. Over 90 percent of students are Hispanic minority and 3 percent are international students. Some 11.5 percent of students live on campus. The University has aggressive financial aid and Study Abroad programs. Recently TAMIU has implemented a campus Common Read program featuring books by Gerda Weissmann Klein
Gerda Weissmann Klein
Gerda Weissmann Klein is an author, humanitarian, historian, inspirational speaker , naturalized citizen and Holocaust survivor. For over six decades she has captivated audiences worldwide with her powerful message of hope, inspiration, love and humanity...
, Ishmael Beah
Ishmael Beah
Ishmael Beah is a former Sierra Leonean child soldier and the author of the published memoir, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier.-Early years:...
and Somaly Mam.
Accreditations
Texas A&M International University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
to award bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.
The undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Business Administration are accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
The College of Nursing and Health Sciences' Dr. F.M. Canseco School of Nursing is accredited by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.
Texas A&M International University is also accredited by the Texas Education Agency.
Texas A&M International University is a member of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the American Council on Education and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
Rankings
TAMIU's A. R. Sanchez Jr. School of Business ranks as the second best in the country for providing the "Greatest Opportunity for Minority Students." As of 2010, the A.R. Sanchez Jr. School of Business doctoral degree in International BusinessInternational Business
International business is a term used to collectively describe all commercial transactions that take place between two or more regions, countries and nations beyond their political boundary...
is the only fully locally-offered (non-collaborative) doctoral degree offered by the University.
The Princeton Review has named the A.R. Sanchez The School of Business a “Best Business School” in its 2006 and 2008 editions. The 2008 edition of The Princeton Review also lists the School as a Top Ten for Business Schools offering the greatest opportunity for minority students.http://www.tamiu.edu/newsinfo/10-20-05/article1.shtml
Research
TAMIU is home to various research centers, including the Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade, The Western Hemispheric Trade Information Center, the Texas Center for Border Economics and Enterprise Development, the Small Business Development Center and the Center for Earth and Environmental Studies.One of the institution's largest private benefactors was Radcliffe Killam
Radcliffe Killam
Radcliffe Killam , was a wealthy oilman, rancher, businessman, and philanthropist in Laredo, the seat of Webb County in south Texas. He was a particular benefactor of various educational and medical institutions. In 1997, Worth cited the Killam family as one of the largest landowners in the United...
(1910-2007), a Laredo oilman who donated $2 million to establish The Center for Western Hemispheric Trade, in addition to the University's 300 acres (1.2 km²) campus land. Killam and his wife, the former Sue Spivey, were honored by TAMIU with honorary doctorates and the naming of the Radcliffe and Sue Killam Library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
.
Athletics
TAMIU's sports teams are known as the Dustdevils and compete in the Heartland ConferenceHeartland Conference
The Heartland Conference is an NCAA Division II college athletic conference founded in 1999. The majority of members are in Texas, with additional members in Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma.-Member schools:...
. They became active members of NCAA Division II on September 1, 2008. As an active member, TAMIU is eligible for conference championships and NCAA tournament berths.
TAMIU participates in the following sports:
- Baseball
- Men's Basketball (2010 Heartland Conference Tournament Championship)
- Women's Basketball
- Cross Country
- Men's Golf
- Women's Golf
- Men's Soccer (2003 Red River Athletic Conference Champions, 2010 Heartland Conference Title)
- Women's Soccer
- Women's Volleyball (2002 West Division Athletics Conference Champions)
- Softball (2010 Heartland Conference Tournament Championship)
Increase in student fees, 2011
Student fees at TAMIU will increase by 7 percent in the 2011-2012 academic year. A 30 semester-hour course load will increase in costs from $6,133 to $6,588, or $425. The additional fees are earmarked for library, parking, technology access, energy costs, athletics, graduate application fees, and a new student scholarship program. Oddly, the new rate schedule will almost match the 6,500 number of students enrolled in the fall of 2010.Notable alumni
- Henry CuellarHenry CuellarHenry Roberto Cuellar is the U.S Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district extends from the Rio Grande to the suburbs of San Antonio, including Guadalupe County and nearby Wilson County.Outside of politics, he has served as a professor at the...
, member of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... - Juan PerezJuan Perez (politician)Juan Perez is an American municipal politician and lawyer. He is the former Mayor of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, U.S.A. Perez is the first Latino mayor in Wisconsin. He served one term in the office, as he was unable to advance in the February 18, 2009 primary election against two other candidates...
, Wisconsin politician
Notable faculty
- Christopher Ferguson, researcher and video game expert
- Janet KruegerJanet KruegerJanet Eager Krueger is an artist known for her large-scale oil paintings of South Texas ranching life. She is an associate professor of art at Texas A&M International University in Laredo and lives on a ranch in nearby Encinal, Texas, in the southwestern corner of La Salle County just north of the...
, retired art professor and artist of south Texas ranching life - Ned KockNed KockNed Kock is best known for employing biological evolution ideas to the understanding of human behavior toward technologies, particularly information technologies. He developed media naturalness theory, an evolutionary communication media theory...
, information systemsInformation systemsInformation Systems is an academic/professional discipline bridging the business field and the well-defined computer science field that is evolving toward a new scientific area of study...
professor and human evolutionHuman evolutionHuman evolution refers to the evolutionary history of the genus Homo, including the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species and as a unique category of hominids and mammals...
theorist - Rafael A. LecuonaRafael A. LecuonaRafael A. Lecuona is a former member of the Cuban gymnastics team and professor emeritus of Texas A&M International University in Laredo...
, former Olympic gymnast and retired political sciencePolitical sciencePolitical Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
professor - Jerry D. ThompsonJerry D. ThompsonJerry Don Thompson is Regents Professor of History at Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas. He is a prolific author of books on a variety of related topics, specializing in the American Civil War, the history of the Southwestern United States, and Texas History...
, historian and award-winning author of multiple books on the American Southwest