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Posted: 8/17/20

At TAMIU this Fall Your Professor is Also Your Congressman

 

Congressman Henry Cuellar ('82)
Congressman Henry Cuellar ('82)  

It’s not often that you can call your Congressman your  professor as well.  

This Fall semester at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), Congressman Henry Cuellar,   U.S. Representative for Texas’ 28th Congressional District, will lead a new course, “Government Appropriations:  Introduction to the United States Federal Budget.”  

The hybrid course is available for undergraduate or graduate credit and is offered on Saturdays from 9 a.m. -12 noon. Enrollment is limited. 

TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz said he has long broached the possibility of Cong. Cuellar teaching a course, but scheduling has been an expected challenge. 

“Cong. Cuellar has always been keen to join us for this sort of opportunity, but the challenges of scheduling and the life of a Congressman can be quite complex. We’re excited that we’ve been able to secure him for this Fall semester.  Clearly, there are additional challenges this semester with our ongoing response to the pandemic, but Cong. Cuellar is committed to helping us to provide our students with remarkable insight.  For a course about government appropriations, you can’t get a better source than the only Texas Democrat on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee.  He also plans to bring in guest lecturers from Capitol Hill and the White House to provide a broad-spectrum view across both parties.  His superior educational attainments and decades of governmental experience certainly provide a positive role model for all students,” Dr. Arenaz said.

Dr. Sean A. Maddan, College of Arts and Sciences’ chair of the Department  of Social Sciences, said the offering is truly a rare opportunity for TAMIU students. 

“This is the most unique course opportunity for students I have ever seen.  The notion that a current member of Congress will actually be illustrating to students in real-time how the appropriations process works is amazing for our students.  This is especially true for students in political science, public administration, and business, ” Dr. Maddan observed. 

Points of discussion in the seminar course are grouped under a general umbrella that asserts that the  federal budget, comprised of spending and revenue of the federal government, takes a primary role in governance in a politically-charged environment.

Students can expect to learn about the budget process and cycle, the players in the federal budgeting process, how legislation is tied to strategic planning and performance measures and how federal dollars are distributed to local committees through allocations and grants.

Cong. Cuellar is serving his eighth term as Congressman for the 28th Congressional district.  He holds his undergraduate degree from  Georgetown University, and a master’s degree in International Trade from  TAMIU.  He earned both a Juris Doctor and Ph.D. in Government from the University of Texas at Austin. He recently received a Professional Certificate in Budget and Finance from Georgetown University. From 1984-66, he was an adjunct faculty member  at the former Laredo State University, prior to beginning his life in public service as a Texas State Representative, Texas Secretary of State and now U.S. Congressman. Dr. Cuellar has been an educator, lawyer and small business owner.

For additional information on PSCI-4321-1 H1 and PSCI 539—1H1, “Government Appropriations: Introduction to the United States Federal Budget,” contact Dr. Maddan at sean.maddan@tamiu.edu, or phone 956.326. 2467. 

Registration for Fall 2020 is now underway. TAMIUFlex, Hybrid, Face-to-Face and online courses will all have the same tuition rates. An online catalog containing a list of all undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs is at http://catalog.tamiu.edu

The University’s online COVID-19 Response Center is updated regularly and includes information on office schedules and services, an expansive FAQ, quick links, student resources, official information resources and much more. 

To learn more about TAMIU’s Back Together Plan for Fall, go to  https://www.tamiu.edu/coronavirus/student-faqs.shtml  Fall classes begin Monday, Aug. 24, 2020.

TAMIU  ranks 5th in the nation among the 100 Most Affordable Public Schools with the Highest Return on Investment (ROI), according to ranking authority Great Value Colleges. U.S. News and World Report’s 2020 Edition of its popular Best Colleges guide ranks TAMIU as the second highest-ranked Texas public university in its Best Regional Universities West category and the highest-ranked regional campus of the Texas A&M University System.

Most recently, TAMIU earned a top tier ranking for its COVID-19 Pandemic response. The 2020 Educate to Career College ranking placed TAMIU in Tier I for colleges and universities that have responded to the pandemic in ways that benefit and protect students, especially in terms of available online learning resources. Some 1200 colleges across the nation were reviewed.

As part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, TAMIU’s campus is closed only to the general public. Entry to campus continues for students, faculty, staff and those having legitimate reasons to be on campus. Online and virtual services at the University continue, practicing all CDC Guidelines on gathering, masking and social distancing and with most staff working remotely.  

Office hours are subject to change and it is recommended that phone or email contact be made first to determine the office’s schedule of operation.  An online directory is here.