TAMIU's Dr. Billy F. Cowart Hall, Dr. F.M. Canseco Hall Renovated

Students at Texas A&M International University are finding that "new and improved" also applies to the campus this Spring.

Thanks to a federal grant of $942,400 secured by Congressman Henry Bonilla, the University's facilities in Dr. Billy F. Cowart Hall and Dr. F.M.  Canseco Hall have been renovated, making it possible for many student services to be clustered together and other academic programs to be expanded.

Additionally, existing computer labs in the Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center are being refitted to allow for the expansion of academic programs in high-demand science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines.

Joe Garcia, TAMIU vice president for finance and administration, said the renovation and refitting funding came at an advantageous time for the University.

"Naturally, our growth in enrollment drives our construction master plan. The new Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center's completion had made it possible to centralize all science labs there, so we were able to consider changes to the  second floor of Cowart Hall and one psychology lab in Canseco Hall that could address critical office and student needs.  Congressman Bonilla identified and provided federal funding that could sustain this effort.

"Now, we have been able to group vital testing, tutoring, study and first year experience programs within the same area. Additionally, we will be able to refit several computer labs in the Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center so that we can support STEM disciplines," he explained.

Conchita Hickey, executive director of TAMIU's Programs for Academic Support and Enrichment (PASE), said the renovation and refitting is advantageous for students and the collaborative nature of many of the programs.

"For our students, the services are centralized, easily accessed and much more comfortable in terms of setting and size.  For the programs themselves, the shared location helps to encourage vital collaborations between the programs and the students.  We're also very excited about our new Testing Lab which considerably enhances our testing operations," Hickey

noted.

With the renovation, students will find a wide range of offices formerly  in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library now relocated to Cowart Hall.

Offices now  in Cowart Hall and their new room location include:

        General University/Developmental Studies, 202
        Writing Center, 203
        Center for  Advancement of Scholastic Achievement (CASA) Tutoring, 205
        PASE, 206
        TRiO, 207
        First Year Success Program, 208
        Testing Center, 213
        Testing/PLATO Lab, 218

Project architects were  Laredo's Frank Architects and JAMIL Construction Company.

For additional information, please contact Hickey at 326.2134,visit offices in Cowart Hall 206, e-mail chickey@tamiu.edu or click on tamiu.edu/adminis/pase/

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