Spring Enrollment, SCH Climbs Again at A&M International

The official student numbers are up again at Texas A&M International University which will report a healthy 6% increase in headcount and a 7% increase in Semester Credit Hours (SCH) this Spring Semester.

In its official report to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the University's Spring 1999 enrollment is 2,950, a 6 percent increase over last Spring's enrollment of 2,794. SCH, upon which the University's funding is based, is also up seven percent to 26,967 hours from 25,061 hours last Spring.

President Charles Jennett said the University's aggressive recruitment, program expansion and continued campus growth are all contributing factors to the increased enrollment and SCH.

"We've been working aggressively to help communicate the University's mission and message to potential students and the community at large through a variety of public events. We've visited our community centers with special programs and we've hosted the first area-wide Financial Aid Fair here attended by over 1,000 students. We believe we are closing the information gap and letting people know that attending their hometown university is a life-bettering undertaking that is more affordable and accessible than ever before," Dr. Jennett said.

"These efforts, coupled with our degree inventory growing to 27 undergraduate degrees and 22 graduate degrees and our Phase III plans for expansion are combining to make the university among the fastest growing in the state and an emerging major regional university of choice," he noted.

Spring 1998 classes at A&M International are 63% female and include 153 international students from 30 different countries. Ninety-three percent of students are Hispanic with six percent identifying as Caucasian and one percent Asian.

Undergraduate students number 2037, while graduate students number 922.

The oldest student this semester is 66, while a dozen students have celebrated their 16th birthday and two dozen students are 17. The average student age of the undergraduate student body is 26. The average age of the graduate student body is 33.

The top five declared undergraduate majors are accounting , early childhood education, business administration, psychology and criminal justice.

Registration for Summer Sessions at Texas A&M International University will begin April 19. Classes will begin May 31 for Summer Session I and July 8 for Summer Session II. Early registration for the Fall Semester will begin April 19. Fall Semester classes will begin August 30.

For additional information, contact the office of admissions at 326-2201, email to enroll@tamiu.edu, click on the University's WWW site at www.tamiu.edu or visit offices located in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, Room 155.

Admissions office hours are from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and Friday and from 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu