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Posted: 8/18/21

State Legislature Supports TAMIU’s Path to Academic and Student Success with $6M in Funding

 

TAMIU Student Center
 

As the 87th Session of the Texas Legislature drew to a close, Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) learned its “Path to Academic and Student Success" (PASS) program would be the recipient of funding totaling $6 million -- truly paving a broad path to student success. 

TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz said the partnership of TAMIU’s legislative team of Senator Judith Zaffirini and Representatives Richard Raymond Peña and Tracy King, as well as The Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) Chancellor John Sharp and the TAMUS Office of Governmental Affairs, was fundamental to the successful funding of PASS.

“This team fought for TAMIU in what was an extraordinary Session.    Because of their leadership, we know that PASS will be a revolutionary support mechanism in bettering the lives of all TAMIU students and graduates-to-be,” Dr. Arenaz said.

Arenaz spoke about PASS’s germination and how it builds on institutional strengths to improve persistence and graduation rates for all students, among other benefits.

“After the flagship campus, TAMIU has the highest first and second-year persistence rates and six-year graduation rates in The Texas A&M University System, and rates above the State average.  What PASS will strengthen is proven student success strategies to facilitate community college transfers, re-enroll upper-division stop-outs, and improve persistence and graduation rates for all students.

“Among the tools PASS consolidates are community college transfer specialists, peer mentors, supplemental instructors and tutors, counselors, and academic success coaches.  It also expands our successful First Year mentor program to include the sophomore year and focuses on working with students as they navigate issues that generally arise as they progress through more difficult courses and begin their chosen major coursework,” he explained.

Arenaz said the importance of TAMIU student assistance and intervention has been underscored through tracking research.

“For example, in the 2018-19 academic year, with limited supplemental instruction resources, we saw student grade point averages increase up to 62% for those who received the instruction versus those who did not. Likewise, freshman advising efforts positively impacted first-year persistence rates,” he explained.

Arenaz noted that the PASS model is intensive, but the overarching goal of student success is paramount to the University’s mission.

“These advising efforts are continual, intrusive, and labor-intensive… but they have a sweeping power to promote degree progress, enhance graduation rates, decrease time-to-graduation and reduce student debt. The combination of these end goals will produce a graduate ready for their chosen career and for the rewarding life they envision for themselves and their family,” he concluded.

TAMIU’s Fall semester 2021 begins Monday, Aug. 23.  The TAMIU Fall plan is focused on a return to a full and vibrant on-campus experience for all students, faculty, and staff at its 300-acre northeast Laredo campus.  Late registration ends Friday, Aug. 27. For detailed registration information, visit go.tamiu.edu/registration21  

For more information, contact the Office of the University Registrar at 956.326.2250, email registrar@tamiu.edu or visit offices in the University Success Center, suite 121.