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Texas A&M International University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. The teacher education programs are accredited by the Texas Education Agency. The University is affiliated with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. The A. R. Sanchez School of Business is a member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and has been awarded accreditation. The Canseco School of Nursing is accredited by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners and the National League for Nursing Accrediting.
Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), a member of The Texas A&M University System, prepares students for leadership roles in an increasingly complex, culturally diverse state, national, and global society. TAMIU provides a learning environment built on a solid academic foundation in the arts and sciences. The University offers a range of baccalaureate and master’s programs and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in International Business Administration. In addition, the University pursues a progressive agenda for global study and understanding across all disciplines. Through instruction, faculty and student research, and public service, TAMIU improves the quality of life for citizens of the border region, the state of Texas, and national and international communities.
Texas A&M University at Laredo opened its doors as the first upper-level institution in the state of Texas in September 1970. Created primarily to serve regional needs, the school represented a new philosophy of higher education in Texas. Degrees offered included the Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and the Bachelor of Business Administration. By the following year, a program of studies for students interested in bilingual education had been added to the curriculum. This program was designed specifically for incoming juniors majoring in elementary education. By September 1971, the number of students enrolled in the University had increased to 459. |
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A survey conducted in the Fall of 1972 indicated a substantial demand for graduate work. In response to this demand, authorization was requested and received from the 63rd Legislature to initiate a graduate program at Texas A&M University at Laredo. Other changes came when the University’s Board of Directors undertook a study to consider changing the name of the University. The committee, consisting of faculty and students, found that 69 percent of the University students favored a new name that would “permit the development of a separate identity, character and reputation of the institution. “ In January 1977, the Texas A&M Board of Directors voted to recommend to the legislature that the name of the school be changed to Laredo State University. On September 1, 1977, Texas A&M University at Laredo officially became Laredo State University. Also during the 1970s, the Institute for International Trade came into existence as a result of talks between the University and the Laredo business community. With such assistance, the Institute quickly became recognized as one of the nation’s leading information exchanges in the field. The Institute was structured to complement the new Master of Business Administration degree in International Trade. The new degree, besides providing the traditional classroom instruction and library research, was designed to provide first-hand knowledge of many of the international operations associated with international trade such as warehousing, transportation, freight forwarding and customs clearance. The pragmatic curriculum included special courses in customs brokerage, international distribution, foreign freight forwarding, and international trade simulations. Furthermore, the prestige that came with the new Master of Business Administration in International Trade allowed the University to lure students from countries around the world such as Malaysia, Taiwan, Ethiopia, Iran, Nigeria, Liberia, Canada, Ghana, Venezuela, Sierra Leone, and Mexico. Another dimension of the University, which received considerable attention, was the University’s Reading Clinic. The clinic trained University students to diagnose and correct reading problems of area school children. With a large percentage of the students in the clinic functionally bilingual in both Spanish and English, the clinical studies allowed students to become professionally qualified for careers which required bilingual skills. With increased curriculum and degree offerings, students were able to obtain Master’s degrees in education, business administration, and international trade for the first time, and the number of students at LSU reached 637 by September 1972; 756 by September 1974; and 852 by January 1975. One result of the addition of graduate degrees to the University was the expansion of the holdings of the Harold R. Yeary Library, which the University shared with Laredo Community College. By 1978, the University had accumulated one million dollars worth of books and periodicals. Designated an official regional depository of materials by the United States Superintendent of Documents, the Library also boasted 47,335 government documents. In the decade that followed, Harold R. Yeary Library would continue to expand, and by 1990 it had 164,664 books, 309,432 microforms, 5,477 audiovisuals, and was receiving 1,134 periodicals. |
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At the February 1976 meeting of the University System of South Texas Board of Directors, funds were appropriated for a building site feasibility study on the Laredo State University campus. The action was spurred by the announcement that the University had again reached a record enrollment and was quickly running out of space. In 1988 talks were initiated with the Texas A&M University System that would eventually lead to a merger of the University System of South Texas with the Texas A&M University System. After more than sixty meetings over a period of eighteen months, the University System of South Texas Board of Directors voted to dissolve the system and clear the way for a merger. Within two weeks the Texas A&M System Board of Regents also voted unanimously for a merger. The Texas Legislature hastily approved a merger of the two systems, and on September 1, 1989, Laredo State University became a part of the Texas A&M University System. State Senate Bill 6, adopted by the 73rd Legislature, changed the name of the University from Laredo State University to Texas A&M International University in Fall of 1993. It also authorized the University to expand from upper-level to four-year status beginning in the Fall of 1995, and established an initiative to expand the scope of degrees offered to include doctoral degrees. It also uniquely authorized the awarding of joint degrees with colleges and universities in Mexico and Canada. After several abortive attempts to establish a mechanism by which the faculty might have an active voice in the governance of the institution, the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs reconstituted the Texas A&M International University Faculty Senate in the Fall of 1994 for the purpose of allowing faculty to share in the responsibilities of governance of the University. This new group institutionalized the concept of a Faculty Senate with the creation, approval and adoption of the Faculty Constitution (Appendix B). The University adopted a collegiate structure and now consists of the following Colleges: Arts and Sciences, Education, Nursing and Health Sciences, and the A.R. Sanchez Jr. School of Business. In the Fall of 1995, the Texas A&M International University moved to its new home at 5201 University Boulevard, located on 300 acres of land donated by the Radcliffe Killam family, and occupied the first phase of the first university campus of the 21st Century. This $42 million phase included the Sue & Radcliffe Killam Library, Bob Bullock Hall and a second academic building, and a physical plant facility. The $30 million second phase of the campus includes buildings for the Sanchez School of Business and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, a kinesiology/convocation center, and another physical plant building. Phase II became available in the Fall of 1996. For the Spring 1996 semester there were 2,464 students enrolled in the University’s graduate and undergraduate programs. The number of full-time faculty reached 98. |
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The TAMUS Board of Regents (hereafter the Board) The Board shall provide the policy direction for the System and its component universities and agencies. The Board shall formulate, update, and publish official policies for the System. The Board shall exercise the traditional and time-honored role for such boards as their role has evolved in the United States and shall constitution the keystone of the governance structure. (TAMUS Policy 2.011).[1]
The President of the University is appointed by the Board of Regents upon the recommendation of the Chancellor, and serves under the direction of the Chancellor. The duties of the President shall include, but are not limited to, the administration of the total program of the institution under the President's jurisdiction (TAMUS Policy 2.05).[1]
Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs (hereafter the Provost) The Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs of the University is the Chief Academic Officer and serves under the direction of the President. The duties of the Provost include, but are not limited to, the administration and supervision of all academic programs within the institution. In the event that the President of the University is unable to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the office of the President, those duties and responsibilities will pass to the Provost until such time as the President is ready to resume those duties.
Vice-President for Finance and Administration The Vice-President for Finance and Administration (VPFA) is the Chief Financial Officer of the University and serves under the direction of the President. The duties of the VPFA will be defined by the President.
Vice-President for Institutional Advancement The Vice-President for Institutional Advancement (VPIA) is the primary liaison between the University community and various external entities. The duties of the VPIA will be defined by the President.
[1] Copies of TAMUS Policy Manual are available in the Offices of the President, Provost, Deans, Human Resources, President of the Faculty Senate, and the Library, and on the World Wide Web at https://www.tamus.edu/legal/policy/policy-and-regulation-library/. |
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Vice-President for Student Success The Vice-President for Student Success (VPSS) is responsible for TAMIU’s recruitment, enrollment and graduation programs. The duties of the VPSS will be defined by the President.
The University is comprised of several colleges and schools, including; the College of Arts and Sciences, the A. R. Sanchez Jr. School of Business, the College of Education, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and the Sue & Radcliffe Killam Library. An Academic Dean serves as the chief academic and administrative officer of each college and school, and serves under the direction of the Provost.
Colleges may be divided into academic departments[2] and/or schools or divisions under the administrative direction of a faculty member designated as a department or division chair or school director (hereafter equivalent to department chair). Department Chairs serve under the direction of the Academic Dean of the college to which their department is assigned. Faculty teaching load may be reduced for a faculty member serving as department chair. (TAMUS Policy 12.03 Section 3.3). Normally, department chairs will be given annual, twelve-month contracts.
Other Academic Affairs Administrators In most matters, the Director of the Library will hold status equivalent to a department chair, except in budgetary matters, wherein the Director's status would be the equivalent of an academic Dean.
The University Executive Council is composed of the President, the Provost, the Vice-Presidents and other members of the University Community as designated by the President.
The Council of Deans is chaired by the Provost, and consists of all Academic Deans and any other members of the University Community designated by [2] For the purposes of this document the Sue & Radcliffe Killam Library (hereafter the Library) is considered an academic department; where references are made, herein, to departmental requirements those references will apply equally to the Library and its faculty. Likewise, since the Library supports all Colleges but is not an administrative part of any individual College, in cases where a reference is made, herein, to College requirements those references will apply equally to the Library and its faculty. |
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The Council of Chairs is chaired by the Provost, and consists of all heads of academic departments, divisions, and schools, as well as other members of the University Community as designated by the Provost or the President.
Student Government Association The Student Government Association is empowered to act as the representative authority of the Student Body.
The Staff Senate is empowered to act as the representative authority of the University's administrators and staff.
The University President, or the Provost, or the President of the Faculty Senate may call the faculty of Texas A&M International University into a general meeting; if a general meeting is called, the meeting shall be known as a Faculty Assembly. The faculty shall have authority over all matters pertaining to educational and academic policy.
As specified in Article II, Section 1-3 of the Faculty Constitution (Appendix B), the Faculty Senate is empowered to act as the representative and resolving authority of the faculty. The Faculty Senate President will receive release time during the Fall Semester, and the Faculty Senate Secretary will receive release time during the Spring Semester to carry out additional duties as required by their respective positions.
At-large Senators may be deemed to represent their colleges for the purpose of committee assignments. Senators from the Canseco School of Nursing and Killam Library may be assigned committees in the same way as any other Senator, but they are not required to be on any particular committee. Faculty Senate Committees, whose meetings are open to the public, include these six standing committees:
1. The Budget and Finance Committee. The purpose of this committee is to monitor financial matters affecting the faculty, instructional matters, and other matters deemed within the purview of the Senate, and assist in the University budgeting process. Membership in the committee will be by appointment by the President of the Senate: members will be Faculty Senators, including at least one Senator from each of the three colleges, with the Chair elected by the committee membership. |
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2. The Academic Oversight Committee. The purpose of this committee is to Evaluate and make recommendations to the Senate pertaining to all matters relating to the faculty that do not fall within the purview of the other Senate Committees. Membership in the committee will be by appointment by the President of the Senate; members will be Faculty Senators, including at least one Senator from each of the three colleges, with the Chair elected by the committee membership.
3. University Ethics Committee. The purpose of this committee is to consider issues and proposals related to academic honesty and integrity and ethical practices involving students and faculty and other university employees, and to report to the Senate and make such recommendations as are deemed advisable. Membership in the committee will be by appointment of the President of the Senate; members will be Faculty Senators, including at least one Senator from each of the three colleges, with the Chair elected by the committee membership.
4. The Committee on Creation, Composition, and Responsibilities of Committees. The purpose of this committee is to make recommendations to the Senate concerning the management of University committees and to provide guidance to the colleges with regard to the composition of college and department-level committees. Membership in this committee will be by appointment by the President of the Senate; members will be Faculty Senators, including at least one Senator from each of the three colleges, with the Chair elected by the committee membership.
5. The Committee on Faculty Work Environment and Morale. The purpose of this committee is to monitor and make recommendations to the Senate regarding campus issues and administrative policies that affect the work environment and/or morale of the faculty. Membership of this committee will be by appointment by the President of the Senate. Members will be Faculty Senators, including at least one Senator from each of the three colleges, with the Chair elected by the committee membership.
6. The Faculty Handbook Revision Committee. The purpose of this committee is to receive proposals for Faculty Handbook revision from any member of the University community, to consider those proposals, and to submit draft proposals to the Faculty Senate for consideration, following the process described in the Preface to this handbook. Membership in this committee will be by appointment by the President of the Senate; members will be Faculty Senators, including at least one Senator from each of the three colleges, with the Chair elected by the committee membership. |
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At the University level, there will be various standing committees as deemed necessary by the administration and faculty to ensure the accomplishment of the mission of the University. Additionally, ad hoc committees may, from time to time, be appointed as needed and as approved by the Faculty Senate. The exact number of these committees will change over time. The control and administration of these committees is the responsibility of the Faculty Senate; by concurrence it is meant that the Senate shall ensure that committee assignments are apportioned equally and that no individual is assigned to an inordinate number of committees. In the interest of clarity and flexibility, the phrase "free-standing academic unit" applies to any academic unit (e.g. the Killam Library) not aligned with one of the colleges and whose head, therefore, reports directly to the Provost. In cases where the appointments are made by department chairs, it is understood that chairs will do this in consultation with their Deans. Standing committees include the following:
1. The University Committee on Admission Standards and Exceptions. Faculty Composition will be two representatives from each academic college and one representative from each free-standing academic unit; faculty appointments will be made by deans (or heads of academic units), who will submit their choices through the Provost to the Faculty Senate for concurrence. Administrative composition will be the University Registrar, the Director of Admissions, Director of Financial Aid, and the Dean of the University College, with the Vice President for Student Success as chair. Faculty appointments to this committee will be for staggered terms of two years.
2. The University Catalog Committee. Composition will be one faculty representative from each academic college and free-standing academic unit (two from the College of Arts and Sciences), the Director of Admissions, the Director of Financial Aid, the Director of Student Conduct and Community Engagement, the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, the Associate Vice President for Administration, and the University Registrar, who will chair the committee. Faculty appointments will be made by deans or heads of academic units, who will submit their choices through the Provost to the Faculty Senate for concurrence.
3. The University Curriculum Committee. Composition will be one representative per academic department or division or free-standing academic unit and the University Registrar, faculty appointments will be made by department chairs (or heads of academic units), who will submit their choices through the Provost to the Faculty Senate for concurrence. The Associate Provost will chair the committee as an ex-officio member.
4. Technology Advisory Council. Composition will be one representative per college or free-standing academic unit (appointed by the Dean or academic unit head), one member of the Faculty Senate (appointed by the Senate), one representative for the University President, and one representative for each |
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administrative Vice President. The member appointed from the Faculty Senate will serve as chair. Appointments will be submitted through the Provost to the Faculty Senate for concurrence. The Associate Vice President for Information Technology/CIO will serve ex-officio. The Technology Advisory Council may generate subcommittees; standing and ad hoc subcommittees must be chaired by a member of the Technology Advisory Council, but they may contain membership from outside the Technology Advisory Council.
5. Distance Education and Instructional Technology Committee. Composition will be one representative per college or free-standing academic unit (appointed by the Dean or academic unit head), one member of the Faculty Senate (appointed by the Senate), the chair of the University Curriculum Committee, the Associate VPAA (or that officer’s designee), two representatives from Student Success (appointed by the VPSS), and one from the Office of Graduate Studies and Research (appointed by the Dean). The Director of Instructional Technology and Distance Education will serve ex-officio, and will be co-chair with the member appointed from the Faculty Senate. Appointments will be submitted through the Provost to the Faculty Senate for concurrence.
6. University Library Committee. Composition will be one representative peracademic department or division or free-standing academic unit, with the Chair appointed by the Provost from the faculty membership; faculty appointments will be made by department chairs (or heads of academic units) who will submit their choices through the Provost to the Faculty Senate for concurrence. The Director of the Library or his/her designate will serve as ex-officio member.
7. The University Risk Management Committee. Composition will be one representative per academic department or division or free-standing academic unit and one representative per administrative division, with the Chair appointed by the Provost from the committee membership. Faculty appointments will be made by department chairs (or heads of academic units); administrative appointments will be made by heads of administrative divisions. Appointments will be submitted through the Provost to the Faculty Senate for concurrence.
8. The University Promotion, Tenure and Retention Committee. Membership in this committee will consist of one tenured representative per academic department or division or free-standing academic unit, and two at-large tenured representatives appointed by the Provost. Faculty must have at least two years of experience as faculty at TAMIU to be eligible to serve on this committee. All tenured faculty members serve on their departmental promotion and tenure committees, but none may serve on both college and University promotion and tenure committees. In cases where an academic unit does not have the equivalent of a departmental committee, then tenured faculty members may serve on both their unit's promotion and tenure committee and the University committee. The Faculty Senate Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, assisted by the Faculty Senate Committee on Committees, will solicit a slate of candidates from each |
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academic department, division, and free-standing academic unit, prepare a ballot for election of this committee and supervise the election. Deans, associate deans, department chairs, and heads of academic units may not serve on this committee. Terms will be established for two-year periods. The committee shall be presided over by the Provost, who will hold non-voting status as the presiding officer.
9. The University Grievance Committee Pool. This pool will be comprised of twenty-four tenured faculty from across the university selected by a lottery overseen by the Faculty Senate executive committee to serve a three-year term. A faculty member will be inelegible for lottery selection for the three years following a term of service within the grievance pool. Since the Grievance Pool provides the membership of Grievance Committees as well as a majority of committee members for appeals of promotion or tenure decisions its membership should be established early in the year before individual grievances or appeals emerge. Once the lottery is completed, the pool will consist of twenty-four members, enough to manage four grievances or four appeals without duplication of personnel. Deans, associate deans, department chairs, and heads of academic units may not serve on this committee. When a grievance is filed, each party will select two committee members from the pool, and the Faculty Senate President will select a fifth member from the pool. In the event of the Faculty Senate President's involvement in the grievance, the Vice President will select the fifth member. The resulting five-member committee for each grievance will elect its own Chair from its membership. Once the Grievance Pool has been constituted, it will meet to elect a secretary to manage the receipt of complaints and requests for information and to keep a record of ongoing activity, which will be filed each semester with the Secretary of the Faculty Senate. Since membership on a grievance committee can be a strenuous experience, no member of the Grievance Pool should participate in more than one proceeding in the same academic year. If events require additional members to be added to the pool, a lottery will be held for an appropriate number of additional members at the earliest possible time. The number of members necessary will be determined for each situation by the Grievance Pool members, chaired on this occasion by the Faculty Senate President.
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10. Faculty Development Leave Committee. The Faculty Development Leave Committee (FDLC) shall be chaired by the current President of the Faculty Senate and shall consist of one tenured faculty member from each college and free-standing academic unit, with the exception of the College of Arts and Sciences, which shall have two representatives. The Faculty Senate will conduct elections during April, polling faculty from each College to determine its representative. Members elected in April will begin their terms the next school year, beginning in September. Faculty members are not eligible for faculty development leaves during their tenure on the committee.
11. Honor Council. The Honor Council consists of faculty and students who have been elected by their peers or appointed by the Provost and who have undergone training in order to serve as case investigators and/or hearing panelists. The Honor Council serves to provide students with a means by which they may report academic dishonesty, to provide students with a means of appealing charges of academic dishonesty, and to provide the Provost with recommendations regarding general academic sanctions or remedial efforts appropriate to specific cases. This council shall have authority to create processes and operating procedures to implement the Honor System and to enforce the rules described in the Honor Code. Through the Provost's Office, this council shall be the central body responsible for maintaining records and for coordinating communication, prevention, training, remediation, and adjudication efforts for the Honor System. The Honor Council shall consist of 25 members; fifteen students including at least one graduate student (twelve appointed by the VP for Student Success and three by the Provost), and ten faculty members (nine elected by the faculty at large, and one appointed by the Provost). The Faculty Senate will conduct the elections of the faculty representatives. Members must be elected and appointed by September 1 of each academic year. Faculty members serve two-year terms; student members serve one-year terms. The Honor Council will hold general meetings at least twice each semester, and members of the council will serve on 3-5 member hearing panels when selected by the Chair of the Honor Council and the Provost.
Committee Assignment Procedure While both the composition and general standards will be set by the Senate with regard to University committees, only standards will be promulgated to the colleges pertaining to committees at the college and department level. The intent is to provide equality in the area of committee assignments for members of the faculty. In that regard, the following guidelines are established pertaining to committee service by faculty and the functioning of committees at all levels within the University.
1. No person shall chair a committee, when the purpose of that committee is to provide advice or oversight to a department or function that is under the direct control of that person. |
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2. It is expected that positions on all University committees will be filled by full-time teaching faculty, except as noted in the committee compositions above (for example, the Associate Provost chairs the University Curriculum Committee ex-officio). Other exceptions may be made in cases of necessity (for example, if not enough qualified faculty members are available in a department or unit) or for other compelling reasons. However, as noted above, faculty with administrative appointments (Deans, associate deans, department chairs/division chairs, and heads of academic units) cannot serve on the University Promotion, Tenure and Retention Committee or the University Grievance Pool.
3. No person shall be compelled (Rev. 5-19-00 Item #13) to serve on more than a total of three committees at any given time, regardless of level (i.e. Texas A&M System, University, college or department), without the express consent of both the Provost and the Faculty Senate. This applies to both standing and ad hoc committees.
4. Service as a member of the Faculty Senate and its standing committees constitutes University committee participation.
5. At the end of each academic year, before the final spring meeting of the Faculty Senate, a listing of all committees to convene in the fall, to include membership of each, will be provided by the chair of each department/division or head of each free-standing academic unit to the Provost, who will then provide a copy to the Faculty Senate. This will be accomplished no later than April 30 of each academic year. The Faculty Senate will be responsible for reviewing committee assignments at all levels to ensure compliance with the guidelines established herein.
6. In the event that a faculty members is inadvertently assigned to more than three Committees outside of the Senate, the Chair of the Senate Committee on the Creation, Composition, and Responsibilities of Committees will notify the Provost immediately upon discovery. The Provost and/or the Senate will seek a qualified and available faculty member to replace the faculty member previously identified.
7. Aside from the Committee on Admission Standards and Exceptions and the Grievance Pool, standing University committees with faculty membership will meet only during the nine-month academic calendar.
It is the responsibility of the Graduate Council to establish and review the criteria for membership on the Graduate Faculty. Furthermore, the council is to establish the |
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minimum admission standards, the standards for continuation of graduate students, and the residency requirements; to act upon petitions and appeals from the decision of the Dean the Graduate School; and to consider any other matters relevant to the Office of the Graduate School.
The Graduate Council shall be composed of the following members:
With the exception of the graduate student representative, the representative from the Library, the University Registrar, and the Faculty Senate President, all members of the Graduate Council shall be full members of the Graduate Faculty. Elected or appointed members shall serve a term of two years from the beginning of the Fall Semester following their election or appointment, which shall occur in the spring. Terms for elected or appointed members shall be staggered.
All tenured and tenure-track faculty with a terminal degree are eligible to vote in council elections. College representatives to the council shall be elected by April 21 of the appropriate year of selection. Such representatives may be nominated by all tenured and tenure-track faculty; the election will be conducted at the time and in the manner of the Faculty Senate elections conducted by the Faculty Senate Parliamentarian and Elections Officer. The Deans' and Provost's appointments shall be made by May 1.
Library and Instructional Support
The Sue & Radcliffe Killam Library offers reserve service to faculty members so that students may have access to printed materials for class assignments. Circulation Desk staff can answer questions about reserve policies and assist faculty in putting items on reserve. Reference librarians are available for pre-scheduled tours and class instruction sessions. Instruction may cover general information about the Library or may cover sources available in a particular discipline or for a specific research project, according to the preferences of the faculty |
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member requesting the session. Any one of the reference librarians can provide further information and assist in scheduling a tour or class. Requests should be made at least one week in advance to allow for schedule changes made necessary by the sessions and to permit the librarians to prepare instructional materials. Also available is the TexShare card, which gives TAMIU faculty the ability to check out books at approximately 50 other public universities in Texas. Applications for the TexShare card can be filled out at the Circulation Desk.
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