College Update – October 2025

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Student Resources | Congratulations! | Open Office Hours

Dean’s Team Updates

Congratulations!

  • The Biophysical Society has honored Dr. Josh Wand, BCBP, with the 2026 Ignacio Tinoco Award. The award, one of the society’s highest honors, recognizes Wand’s career-long contributions explaining the processes behind how biomolecules such as proteins move and work.
  • Dr. Sandun Fernando, BAEN, was recently named a Fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Fernando, Dow Professor in Bioprocess Engineering and associate department head in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, was honored for his pioneering contributions to biomolecular engineering, sustainable bioenergy and agricultural biotechnology.
  • The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences honored faculty, staff and students at the annual “College Connect” awards event on Sept. 18. The ceremony recognized 18 recipients of the Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Awards and welcomed this year’s 39 new faculty members.

Dean’s Open Office Hours

  • Dr. Savell and Dr. Klein are holding Dean’s Open Office Hours. Please contact Jill Lee for scheduling.

Upcoming Deadlines and Dates

Faculty Affairs

  • Successful Conflict Conversations – Presented by Texas A&M University Faculty Affairs. Faculty and academic staff are welcome to register and attend a workshop in person or via Zoom.
    • Thursday, Oct. 30, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., in person.
    • Thursday, Dec. 11, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Zoom.
  • Registration is open for the 2025 Texas Conference on Student Success, Wednesday-Friday, Oct. 29-31, at the University of Texas at Austin campus. Learn more about the conference.
  • From the Texas A&M Center for Teaching Excellence:
    • The Center for Teaching Excellence has a formal Faculty Mentoring Academy to promote a culture of mentoring across Texas A&M University. For more information, visit the center’s page for the faculty mentoring academy.
    • The Texas A&M Center for Teaching Excellence offers a series of dynamic workshops tailored to empower faculty instruction and to create a more enriching classroom learning environment. Explore a diverse range of topics, including peer feedback and collaboration, engagement during lectures, and ethical behavior in mentoring. 
  • Texas A&M encourages faculty to elevate the impact of their work by joining colleagues in publishing articles in The Conversation. The format is opinion pieces and requires the expert to have recent, peer-reviewed published research. Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications is happy to work with you to get you connected with the right editors at the right times. Please reach out to AgriLife Marketing and Communications for an introductory and exploratory call to discuss ideas, opportunities and more! Email Laura Muntean if interested.

General Academic Affairs

  • The Educational Development and Engagement Instructional Design Consultant team provides comprehensive support for College of Agriculture and Life Sciences courses. Services include full-service accessibility renovation to redesign courses for optimal accessibility, video captioning in partnership with the Disability Resources Office, Canvas troubleshooting assistance and Universal Design for Learning consultation. These efforts have made College courses, including the 12 largest in the University’s Core Curriculum, fully accessible, benefiting over 15,900 students. For more information and resources, please visit the team’s intranet site for the College. If you have a problem accessing the intranet site, please use online instructions to gain access.
  • Advancing learning through Evidence-Based Undergraduate Teaching: The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning at Texas A&M University (CIRTL@TAMU) is facilitating a weekly, Zoom-Local Learning Community for the National-Level Massive Open Online Course. Visit the CIRTL site to learn more. 
  • Libraries Workshops: Various workshops supporting curriculum and research by the University Libraries.
  • Disability Resources Testing Center: Instructors should complete the testing agreement for a student needing testing accommodations as soon as possible and send exams to the testing center at least three days before the exam. Learn more at Texas A&M Disability Resources.
  • Subscribe to the Graduate Advisors Listserv if you are a staff or faculty member working with graduate and professional students, and stay informed.

Student Success and Development

  • Students in need of professional attire for interviews and career preparation can schedule an appointment at the AGLS Career Closet and shop at no cost. Students may be able to keep their professional items depending on availability.
  • AGLS Pocket Pantry. College students experience food insecurity at a higher rate than the general adult population in the U.S. Anyone aware of a student, staff or faculty member in need of food resources can recommend the AGLS Pocket Pantry located on west campus in the Kleberg building, suite 109. The pantry is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays when the university is closed.
    • Ongoing support is provided by the Texas A&M Foundation and a generous donation from Lennox International Inc. The pantry is available for students, faculty and staff in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences who are experiencing food insecurity.
    • Visitors interested in using this resource can scan the QR code posted on the entrance and check in with the reception desk. Those with questions, or those needing additional support, please email [email protected]. 
  • Mental health support for all students:
    • Learn about Aggie Peer Connect and its offerings for Texas A&M students at tx.ag/peerconnect.
    • Around the clock and regardless of location, the TELUS Health Student Support app provides 24/7 access to professional counseling in multiple languages via app, telephone and web, in addition to mental health assessments, a mental health content library and access to virtual fitness sessions — all free and confidential.
    • College employees and partners concerned about a student can refer them to Ms. Molly McCann, an embedded mental health professional in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Students can make an appointment to visit Molly or to connect with the broader team of mental health professionals on campus. They can also contact Molly at [email protected] or 979.458.4584.
  • Prospective Student Information Sessions occur weekly on Fridays – students can register for a visit with a recruiter at https://recruiter.tamu.edu/.

Resources for Graduate Students

  • The University Writing Center has several programs for graduate students.
    • Writing Retreats, virtual graduate writing groups that meet Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., three times a year, during the interims. Facilitators start each day with a writing tip. Participants set daily goals in the morning, share their accomplishments in the afternoon, and meet with writing coaches to work through issues and stay motivated. The Dissertation and Thesis Office will present and answer questions on the third day. Registration is required and opens a month before each interim. 
    • Graduate Student Workshops, online workshops on writing and presenting at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays several times a year. Register for them.
    • Writing Cafe for graduate students on the first Friday of every month in the Evans Library Grad Lounge, Room 611. Coffee, tea and snacks are provided. If you need a block of time to complete writing to start the month off strong, this program is for you. Registration is not required.
    • English conversation appointments can help with speaking needs. You can book a conversation appointment for up to 45 minutes at the writing center. You can bring topics of discussion or they will provide some. Learn more or book an appointment.
  • Emergency Aid: Graduate students experiencing unexpected, unforeseen and urgent financial hardships can receive emergency aid. Information on the Emergency Aid application process is available on the Aggie One Stop Emergency Aid webpage. To access the application, students must first speak with an Enrollment Services Advisor. International students must contact International Student & Scholar Services at [email protected].
  • Sandia National Lab has posted two fellowship opportunities for doctoral students/recent graduates. Students can directly apply via HireAggies at Harry S. Truman Distinguished Post Doc Fellowship and Jill Hruby Distinguished Post Doc Fellowship.
  • From International Student and Scholar Services, ISSS.
    • ISSS has added a new Immigration Policy Updates section to its website that tracks federal and state policy updates and provides document safety recommendations to students and scholars.
    • Find the ISSS important dates and deadlines page on the Texas A&M University calendar. Students and academic departments can refer to this resource and plan accordingly.
    • Find more information about ISSS important dates on the ISSS website.
  • From the Center for Teaching Excellence:
    • Center for Teaching Excellence English Language Proficiency, CTE-ELP, programs provide training and testing for international students. Current teaching assistants who are not language-certified are required to participate in the CTE-ELP program.
    • Graduate Student Professional Development in Teaching, GSPDT: Take advantage of resources from the Center for Teaching Excellence in collaboration with the Graduate and Professional School. Visit GSPDT to learn more.
  • Texas A&M University Graduate and Professional School resources:

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council

Save the Date!

Pumpkins at the entrance to The Gardens at Texas A&M University

The Gardens Fall Festival

Saturday, Oct. 25, 9-11:30 a.m.

The Gardens at Texas A&M University

Enjoy fall refreshments as you stroll through The Gardens and visit our various educational demonstrations and activity tables. Folks of all ages can make fall-inspired crafts, learn about fall crops and vegetables, and much more. Come out for a gourd time in The Gardens!

This free event is open to the community! Attendees can park for free in Lots 97 or 100c. 

Professional Services Updates

AgriLife Administrative Services

Employee Wellness

  • AgriLife Employee Wellness Onsite Vaccination Clinics
    • In addition to the flu vaccine, other vaccines may be offered based on CDC recommendations/guidelines. These include Tdap/Td, shingles, Prevnar 20, Hepatitis B, RSV, HPV and COVID-19 vaccines.
    • Employees should bring their Express Scripts insurance card to the event.
    • Employees who are 65 years and older will need to bring all the Medicare insurance cards they may have. These employees will receive the senior flu shot.
    • Uninsured employees can pay $45 in exact cash or check with a driver’s license for the standard flu shot.
    • Employees should wear short sleeves or a loose-fitting shirt.
  • Airrosti “Foundations of Fitness”
    • Proper form is critical in making the most of your fitness program while avoiding injuries. In interactive webinars, learn several fundamental exercise movements to improve your form and enhance the benefits of your workouts, helping you stay healthy and active, and pain and injury free.
    • Register for one of the following sessions.
      • Thursday, Oct. 16, 3-3:30 p.m.
      • Tuesday, Oct. 28, noon-12:30 p.m.
  • BCBSTX Meet the Programs
    • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and The Texas A&M University System work together to help you get the most from your health plan. Learn more (pdf) about the benefits available to you and your covered family members.
  • BCBSTX Fitness Program October Promotion
    • Through Friday, Oct. 31, new members can join the BCBSTX Fitness Program without paying the $19 enrollment fee. Use the code OCTSAVE2025.
  • Fidelity Investments Webinars
    • Ready to pursue the life you want? Join the Women Talk Money team, welcoming Wicked sensation Cynthia Erivo and timeless icon Brooke Shields. Come away with saving, investing and career insights to help you build a future filled with possibilities. Don’t miss Fidelity’s Fall Event Series.

Professional Development

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AgriLife Educational Development and Engagement

Digital Accessibility

An email from the Office of the Provost was sent out to all faculty on Aug. 4 with information regarding digital accessibility. EDE would like to highlight a few items and offer further context for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

In accordance with the Department of Justice’s final rule, all digital content, including instructional materials in Canvas or shared electronically, must be accessible by April 24.

Per university guidelines, all faculty are expected to achieve a minimum accessibility score of 67% in Ally Report or 80% in Yuja Panorama for their courses within Canvas. Once this threshold is met, faculty are strongly encouraged to continue improving course content accessibility to approach the final goal of 100% score. Since Ally Report and Yuja Panorama identify different types of accessibility issues, it is recommended to select one tool and maintain consistency throughout the course. EDE recommends using Ally, as we found it to be the more reliable tool for evaluating accessibility.

As a reminder, you are not alone! The following support is available to you:

Thanks and Gig ’em as we Accelerate to Accessibility!

ACCESS Aspire LIVE

Join us for the next ACCESS Aspire LIVE event on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., where we’ll focus on the topic of building confidence. This session will provide participants with practical strategies for developing self-assurance in various areas of their lives.

Whether you are seeking to boost your confidence in the workplace, during presentations or in personal interactions, this opportunity offers a supportive environment to learn, connect and grow.

Don’t miss this chance to invest in yourself and unlock your full potential. Mark your calendars and get ready to ACCESS Aspire LIVE, where confidence begins and new possibilities unfold!

Register for Access Aspire today!

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AgriLife Information Technology

Microsoft and AgriLife Information Technology will officially end support for Windows 10 on Tuesday, Oct. 14. After this date, Windows 10 devices will no longer receive updates or support from either Microsoft or AgriLife IT.

Recently, the AgriLife Computer Inventory Dashboard showed 4,323 total devices in the College, with 560 still running Windows 10.

Faculty and staff must take action to ensure their devices remain secure and supported:

  • Devices not compatible with Windows 11 must be replaced before Wednesday, Oct. 15.
  • Devices compatible with Windows 11 must be upgraded before Wednesday, Oct. 15.

To determine compatibility, visit the AgriLife Computer Inventory Dashboard and review the “Windows 11 Compatible” column:

  • If the column shows “No” or “Not Likely,” the device should be replaced.
  • If the column shows “Yes” or “Most Likely,” the device should be upgraded.

To schedule an upgrade, email [email protected].

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News: Our Mission in Action

  • Read the latest news of our faculty, staff and student accomplishments in research, teaching and service at AgriLife Today, the home for Texas A&M AgriLife news and feature stories.
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