Fall Brings Campus Changes at TAMIU
This Fall, Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) students will see a wide spectrum of new initiatives and services including a milk shake program and expanded Library databases, a fledgling citrus grove, new classroom furnishings and an historic campus energy conservation and education program.
TAMIU President Dr. Pablo Arenaz said the changes are all focused on enhancing the student experience both in and out of the classroom.
“While the campus is currently in a construction phase with the on-time build of our new Academic Building, we’ve also used much of this summer to complete multiple projects that I believe will help us to further distinguish the TAMIU educational experience and community for our students,” Dr. Arenaz said.
Energy Conservation
This Fall will see the campus’ $10 million energy conservation project move into full operation with new energy efficient exterior lighting and plumbing projects completed, and a new HVAC system 50 percent complete in the Residential Learning Community, Dr. Arenaz noted.
“This project partnership with Schneider Electric also includes an academic component known as the Conserve My Planet Ignite Program, which provides curriculum support and instruction focused on helping all TAMIU community members learn to be better stewards of natural resources on campus and at home. TAMIU is the first University in the nation to implement the program bridging the classroom, student life, and residential life of the university to enable our community members to immediately apply what they have learned in their daily lives. At TAMIU, maroon is the new green, ” Arenaz explained.
Growing Outside
Also returning to the campus is an expanded, fenced TAMIU Community Garden, relocated to the south of the Recreation Center.
“TAMIU’s College of Education and University College will direct the Garden’s use in support of academic research and service learning. Students have already designed a Garden scarecrow and assisted in the establishment of a citrus grove with support provided by the Texas A&M University Citrus Center,” Arenaz said.
Additional exterior campus changes students will note are the replacement of exterior lighting with bright, energy efficient light poles and additions to campus landscaping.
“As the largest managed green space in Laredo, our landscaping management program has guided the installation of more planting beds and management of our tree canopy and the introduction of new trees to increase the biodiversity on campus,” Arenaz noted.
Rounding out campus exteriors improvements is a new video scoreboard for TAMIU Dustdevil Soccer games and the conversion of the Reserved West Parking lot near the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library to Open Parking.
Improving Inside
Moving inside, the University is continuing its commitment to unrivaled facilities.
“We have refitted older classrooms with new furnishings, created new classrooms from previously underutilized space, and are replacing interior lighting throughout the fall with consistent, energy-conserving LED units,” Arenaz explained.
No campus experience is complete without a food experience, and TAMIU is no different.
“We have some exciting changes in store for our dynamic Food Court area this fall including a Provisions on Demand (POD) Market with a unique milkshake program with a wide variety of choices. The POD includes traditional convenience items, fresh grab-n-go foods, and snacks. To further support students and staff, it will have extended hours to serve the campus’ growing late night activities. It’s modeled after the successful launch of a smaller POD Market at our Residential Learning Community last year,” Arenaz explained.
Students will also find their tech needs can be more easily addressed with the relocation of the Office of Information Technology’s (OIT) Help Desk to the Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center from the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library.
“This seemed a logical move to take the services to the students in the most heavily trafficked part of our campus. Students will be able to seek tech support and receive real-time assistance at an expanded service counter in the Center’s ground-floor InfoMall, ” Dr. Arenaz observed.
Library Database Expansion
The Killam Library, which welcomes over 346,000 users yearly, has added an array of new databases for students including the IGI Global InfoSci Journals, a database providing access to over 175 cutting-edge peer reviewed journals in computer, information science and technology, business, engineering. media and communications and other interdisciplinary fields.
Also added, Bloom’s Literature, one of the most prestigious databases for the study of Literature and featuring a comprehensive Shakespeare center.
There is an expanded collection of TAMIU Lecture series videos, an expanded digital archive of historical collections of major regional newspapers and a new database, SWANK Digital Campus, which provides access to course-related feature films. The new Scopus database provides access to the majority of scholarly articles and reports published by TAMIU faculty.
Arenaz said the campus is proud to be growing to serve its growing student population.
“It’s an exciting time at the University, and we think students should have a similarly exciting campus that helps them to grow and succeed in every way imaginable, and truly ‘Go Beyond,’ ” Arenaz concluded.
For additional information, contact the University’s Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 956.326.2180, email prmis@tamiu.eduor click on tamiu.edu
More is also available from the University’s social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Fall registration information is available from the TAMIU Office of the Registrar at 956.326.2250, by email at registrar@tamiu.edu, or by visiting offices in the Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center, 121. Fall classes began Tuesday, Aug. 28. Late registration ends Monday, Sept. 3.
Additional information is available at tamiu.edu and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
