Message from the President

Dear A&M-SA Community,At convocation I reflected on our great past and inspiring future, we have many bright spots and great days before us! We continue our evolution in building an innovative, comprehensive 4-year university that will change the landscape of San Antonio and the great state of Texas. Click for here convocation remarks. As we kick-off the start of the 2015 academic year, I ask you to join me in welcoming our newest flock of wonderful students. Please make plans to attend the President's Picnic today from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on the West Lawn of the Main Campus.

I cannot resist the opportunity to remind you what you already know-Texas A&M-San Antonio is on the cusp of an audacious endeavor, welcoming a new class of lower division students in fall 2016. There is much work to be done as we prepare for implementation, with various committees creating the High Impact Practices Action Plan, a Student Pathway to Success Plan, developing admissions standards and enhancing advising models. Provost Brent Snow, and VP for Student Affairs Melissa Mahan, are leading the Super Committee for Downward Expansion and the latest newsletter with detailed information can be found by clicking here. Dr. Brent Snow is also leading the development of the Academic plan that will guide our future growth and Mr. Darrell Morrison is leading updates to our masterplan. I will invite each of you to join me in the update to our campus wide strategic plan.

Today, I am delighted to announce A&M-San Antonio has been issued the official Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) number! This is a critical milestone in our status as an independent university, this number makes us eligible to participate in Title IV federal student financial aid programs, as an independent institution. Along with every higher education institution that receives federal financial aid funds, we will be required to participate in annual surveys with the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Jane Mims, Director of Institutional Research, will reach out to campus leaders to discuss reporting requirements, as IPEDS has strict compliance guidelines, therefore we must establish processes this academic year.

On August 20, 2015 the University received a long-awaited notification from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board that the core curriculum proposal had been approved, this is another critical milestone! Next is the application for level change to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). We are on track for approval of Downward expansion by SACSCOC, for the fall 2016 start date. A hearty thank you to Provost Snow and the University Core Curriculum Committee, that worked diligently over the past year to see this come to fruition.

Please join me for two additional Student and Academic Success speakers who will be on campus on Friday, August 28, 2015. Tia Brown McNair, will be back on campus to share thoughts and advice on our journey in developing a National Model for Student and Academic Success from 10:30 a.m.- noon and Jarrett Jobe from the University of Central Oklahoma will be discussing Experiential Learning from 1:30- 3 p.m. in the Auditorium at Main Campus

Thank you all once again for continuing to be agile, bold and audacious on what I know will be an amazing semester at Texas A&M-San Antonio!

In partnership for an audacious future,