College Update – February 2026

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Highlights | Faculty Affairs | Academic Affairs

Dean’s Team Updates

Highlights

  • We understand the monumental task undertaken by many departmental staff and administrators to review and update course syllabi in a short timeframe. THANK YOU for this work to ensure our College follows university system policy. 
  • We encourage all College faculty and staff to fill out the Texas A&M University Employee Engagement Survey, which will be open through Friday, Feb. 27. For more information, check your inboxes for the email sent on Monday, Feb. 16, from [email protected] with the subject line, “Employee Engagement Survey: Invitation to Participate.” 

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 Updates

  • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Development
    • Bites & Insights
      • Wednesday, Feb. 25, 12:30-2 p.m., AGLS 129. Mentoring Competency Session with Drs. Julie Harlin-Wolf and Clint Patterson.
      • Thursday, March 26, 12:30-2 p.m., AGLS 129. Building Your Lab Culture; How to deal with Conflict.
      • Wednesday, April 22, 12:30-2 p.m., AGLS 129. Social Networking Event.
    • Annual P&T Cycle Preliminary Session
      • Watch for an announcement in March for an event where we will explore key promotion and tenure updates and processes designed to ensure that every candidate receives the support and guidance necessary to develop strong, compelling cases. We invite you to join us, whether you are:
        • completing your mandatory year for mid-term or P&T review,
        • considering advancement as an APT faculty member,
        • preparing for promotion from Associate to Full Professor,
        • serving as a dedicated Departmental P&T Chair, or
        • supporting the process as a Department Head Assistant.
      • This is an important moment for us to come together and ensure our collective success.
  • Monday, March 2, 9-11 a.m. All academic leaders with responsibilities in the P&T process, including appropriate dean titles, DH titles and P&T committee chairs should plan to attend the P&T Follow-up Meeting Monday, March 2, 9-11 a.m., at which we will review the cycle we just completed while also kicking off the new cycle, including the university-level guidelines. Please make sure to register for the P&T Follow-up Meeting and indicate whether you will attend in person or via Zoom.
  • Use of Open Access Education Resources reduces the cost of education for students. To learn more about resources available to Texas A&M University faculty on developing and using Open Education Resources, please see Understanding OER. Learn more about the University Libraries OpenEd Department.
  • The Faculty Advisory Council University Rule was approved and University Rule 12.04.99.M1 was finalized. This action codifies the importance of faculty engagement and affirms the essential role that a faculty-only representative body plays in the fulfillment of the institutional mission. Consistent with state law and System Policy 12.04, the Faculty Advisory Council, FAC, is intended to provide direct input to leadership in a manner that is transparent, forward-looking and aligned with the priorities and mission of Texas A&M University. The university will seat the FAC with a goal of having the committee seated and active by February. In the meantime, three committees continue to support the necessary academic reviews and processes that require faculty input. We will continue to share information about the election and appointment process through the FAC website and via email directly to faculty.
  • The Texas A&M University System has made enhancements to the Ethics Point portal for students to report concerns about course content. Faculty should be aware of the various resources available for supporting productive classroom discussion when difficult situations arise.
  • The Texas A&M University System Research Excellence Fund, REF, launched on Dec. 1, is a system‑wide, competitive, merit‑based initiative designed to strengthen research capacity, competitiveness and long‑term impact across member universities and agencies. The A&M System has committed an initial $35 million investment, expected to continue annually, across eight strategic funding initiatives that emphasize high‑quality, collaborative research aligned with institutional, state and national priorities.
    • Within the College and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, REF implementation is well underway, including the establishment of internal review processes. The first of the eight programs, the Graduate Fellowship Program (limited submission), has been completed and advanced through the internal review process. The remaining seven REF opportunities — including both limited‑submission programs routed through the Division of Research and programs submitted through AgriLife Research via its InfoReady instance — are progressing according to their respective timelines. Detailed submission instructions and program guidance are available on the AgriLife Research SharePoint site under the “Faculty Information” tab, and additional guidance will continue to be shared as programs advance.
  • Successful Conflict Conversations – this learning experience, presented by Faculty Affairs, provides an opportunity to reflect on your role in a successful conflict conversation, while also practicing and connecting with other academics. Both faculty and academic staff are welcome to attend these workshops. Learn more here.
  • 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

  • From the University Staff Council:
    • Thank you to the staff who attended the December and January AgriLife listening sessions. We received great feedback and have shared themes with AgriLife leadership.
    • Have a suggestion or comment for University Staff Council? Submit your inquiry here. 
    • Have a suggestion specifically for your University Staff Council representative? Email Jamie Norgaard.
  • Twenty-five students are currently participating in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Undergraduate Research Scholars Program. The full list of scholars, their research project titles and faculty mentors is posted online.
  • New Undergraduate Student Math Placement Exam process. Starting in April, there will be a single Math Placement Exam, MPE, for students who are required to demonstrate readiness to enroll in MATH 147/151/171. The passing score is 22. The MPE is optional for all other students
  • Prerequisites for CHEM 119. The prerequisites for CHEM 119, effective fall 2026, are completion of at least 90% of the ALEKS chemistry predatory module; or grade of C or better in MATH 140, MATH 150, or equivalent; or score of 22 or higher on Texas A&M math placement exam. 
  • All Texas A&M AgriLife employees now have access to the TAMUS AI Framework — a secure platform hosted by The Texas A&M University System. It is designed to support research, teaching and administrative tasks with advanced AI tools. Access it at tamus.ai, where you can log in with your AgriLife AgNet ID and explore AI-powered capabilities in a compliant environment. Within the framework, TAMUS AI Chat offers an easy-to-use interface for faculty, staff, researchers and students — including AgriLife — to interact with AI securely. All conversations remain within the TAMUS environment and comply with university data protection standards — your data is never shared externally or used to train outside models. For more details, visit https://docs.tamus.ai/docs/prod/.
  • Digital accessibility makes sure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can access and use online content. The University has consolidated many Digital Accessibility Resources at https://lms.tamu.edu/digital-accessibility.
  • 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

  • As part of the Provost Office Aggie Experience Project, a team of faculty across the Texas A&M University campus has gathered helpful resources for colleagues. Attached is the “You’ve Got This” resource that addresses common challenges students face. Please feel free to import “You’ve Got This” into your courses in Canvas.
  • The Academy for Future Faculty (AFF) is committed to preparing outstanding future faculty in STEM disciplines. AFF seminars are open to everyone in the Texas A&M academic community. Participants may attend a few seminars or complete the requirements for an AFF Fellow certificate. Learn more about AFF here.
  • Students can obtain professional attire for interviews and career preparation by scheduling an appointment at the AGLS Career Closet. 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]. 
  • Pregnancy and related conditions. The Texas A&M University Title IX Office assists students with accommodations for pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions. More information is available on the Title IX website and here.
  • Mental health support for all students:
    • Aggie Peer Connect is an in-person community space housed in the Student Services Building.
    • For free after-hours support, students can professional counselors at TELUS Health at 1.866.743.7732. 
    • 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/.

Information and Resources for Graduate Students

  • Feb. 24, 11:59 p.m. Registration deadline for Student Research Week. SRW is a four-day event, March 16-20, run by the Graduate and Professional Student Government. Students from all disciplines across campus will present their innovative research through oral or poster presentations.
  • Due Monday, March 2: AGLS 125 instructor applications. The College is excited to invite applicants for instructors for our fall 2026 first-year experience, AGLS 125. This course is a Hullabaloo U (HU) course, a required experience for all incoming students. This year, the College is providing instructors $500 in matching funds to the University’s $500, totaling $1,000 in professional development funds, access to classroom supply funds and, most importantly, the opportunity to mentor our next class of Aggies! Instructors can use the $1,000 funds for professional development, and graduate students selected as instructors will receive the funds directly into their student account. In addition to the development experience and terrific mentorship opportunity, the College provides professional development workshops, Canvas content for the semester, and several social opportunities to connect with students and others involved in AGLS 125. The estimated weekly time commitment is approximately 3-4 hours for instructors. Click for instructor information and the application link.
  • Monday, March 2, 6 p.m. Poster registration deadline for the The 2026 TREC Annual Advances in Cancer Research Symposium, to be held Thursday, April 2, 2026, at 1 p.m. at the Stella Hotel in Bryan. To submit an abstract for the poster session and register for the event, please complete an abstract submission form at tx.ag/TRECposter. If you are interested in registering and do not wish to submit an abstract, please register at tx.ag/TREC2026.
  • Friday, March 6, 10 a.m.-noon. Future Faculty Fellowship (F3) Spring Workshop. A dynamic two-hour workshop features five experienced faculty members who will share their insights on early career faculty success. Open to all graduate students.
  • Thursday, April 2. Third Annual College Mini Research Symposium, hosted by Animal Sciences Graduate Student Association. 
  • Responsible Conduct of Research, RCR, Training is required for lab personnel within six months of joining a research group. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences now requires CITI training + four hours of VPR RCR training for all master’s and doctoral students, regardless of funding source. All lab researchers (postdocs, graduate students and undergraduate students) who have not taken CITI training, CITI training + 4 hours of VPR RCR training, or participated in an equivalent course should complete the training before as soon as possible.
  • Graduate employee travel. If traveling to a country designated as a foreign adversary (see list of countries – 15 C.F.R. Section 791.4) for personal reasons, students are required to submit the Certification of Personal Travel to a Foreign-Adversary in Workday. Students are required to complete the pre- and post-travel notification process and should not engage in any university business while traveling in foreign-adversary nations for personal reasons, including accessing university systems or meeting with collaborators for work-related purposes. These requirements are based on institutional compliance protocols and applies to all personal travel to such countries according to GA-48. Additional information regarding these requirements can be found on the Division of Risk, Ethics and Compliance dedicated webpage. 
  • Thesis and Dissertation PDF Accessibility – new for spring 2026. The Thesis and Dissertation office will require an accessibility report for the submission of dissertations, theses and records of study. Beginning spring 2026, graduate students must submit their thesis, dissertation or record of study with five new formatting requirements. These five new requirements help ensure your manuscript is accessible to a wider audience when published in OakTrust. Click here for an Accessibility Guide. Templates are available at Thesis/Dissertation Formatting and Accessibility Word Resources.
  • 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 and Scholar Services at [email protected].
  • From International Student and Scholar Services, ISSS.
  • 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:

Student Recruitment 

  • Prospective Student Information Sessions occur weekly on Fridays. Students can register for a visit with a recruiter at https://recruiter.tamu.edu/.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council

Save the Date!

Darwin Day

  • Friday, Feb. 27
  • 5-8 p.m.
  • The Gardens at Texas A&M University

Darwin Day is an annual celebration of all things biology hosted by the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program to honor Charles Darwin, the father of evolutionary biology. Come and explore the event to see how Texas A&M researchers and their science are illuminating fundamental aspects of biology and making a difference in the real world.

This free, family-friendly event makes science accessible to the public through hands-on demonstrations, games, live animal interactions, microscope observations, museum specimens, and arts and crafts. Additional attractions include a kids’ scavenger hunt with prizes, food trucks and local artists.

This event is open to all ages, with free parking in lots 97 and 100 after 5 p.m.

Professional Services Updates

AgriLife Administrative Services

Employee Wellness

Wrapped Ring Workshop
  • Discover the mental and emotional benefits of creativity in a hands‑on wrapped ring workshop. Your instructor, Cindy Kovar, is a lifelong creator of art and jewelry who has spent years teaching others to explore and enjoy their creative side. Join for an enjoyable, uplifting creative experience and leave with both new skills and a ring that’s uniquely yours. Register for sessions on Friday, Feb. 20, or Wednesday, Feb. 25.
Onsite Catapult Clinics and TAMUS Wellness Incentive Program
  • AgriLife Employee Wellness has partnered up again with Catapult Health to provide free, quick and confidential preventive health exams. Catapult checkups can help identify any currently undiscovered health issues, assess key health risks and support you in managing known conditions more effectively. Checkups are available to all employees and spouses enrolled in the A&M Care Health plan with Group ID #039993. Register for an exam.
  • A Catapult exam will qualify as your annual wellness exam for the Texas A&M Wellness Incentive program. Employees and covered spouses enrolled in the A&M Care Plan are eligible for a $30 monthly discount on their medical premium if they complete the annual wellness exam and one other activity from their WebMD One Personalized Checklist found on WebMD One. The A&M System wellness incentive program completion date is June 30.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Webinars
  • Thursday, Feb. 19, 2 p.m. Healthy Heart and Nutrition with Wondr.
    • Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., affecting over 12% of adults. However, prevention is possible with a heart healthy diet that includes a variety of nutritious and delicious foods. Please join Wellness Coordinator Cindy Quinn and the Wondr team to learn more about how healthy eating can support heart health, along with suggestions for meal planning and snacking. We will learn:
      • How healthier eating can help with heart health
      • Ideas for meal and snack planning
      • Tips for making healthier choices at home and while eating out
      • How the Wondr program can improve your Heart Health
  • Thursday, Feb. 26, 2 p.m. Healthy Heart: Movement is Medicine with Hinge Health.
    • Being active is one of the most important things we can do for our overall health. It enhances our ability to function, can prevent the effects of aging, and reduces the risk of some chronic health issues, including Heart Health. Join Wellness Coordinator Cindy Quinn and the Hinge Health team to discover the many benefits of movement as medicine.snacking.
Learn to Live Webinars
Well onTarget Monthly Webinars
  • Join free monthly webinars to walk through a demo exploring everything about the Wellness portal, from taking the Health Assessment to enrolling in a Challenge and more! You’ll learn about building your personal wellness journey and staying motivated by taking a self-management program and syncing your tracking devices. You’ll discover how to earn Blue PointsSM for activities and redeem them for a selection of gift cards for yourself, family or friends! Join the TEAMS webinar every second Tuesday of the month from 11 to 11:30 am CT. The link is the same for each webinar.
TIAA (Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association) Webinars
Airrosti Webinars

Professional Development

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AgriLife Educational Development and Engagement

Simple Syllabus

Simple Syllabus is a university-supported software tool designed to streamline the creation and sharing of course syllabi at Texas A&M University. This user-friendly platform promotes accessibility and ensures alignment with university and state policies.

Beginning in fall 2025, Simple Syllabus was available for voluntary use. Beginning summer 2026, all faculty will be required to use Simple Syllabus or provide a fully accessible syllabus for each course.  

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AgriLife Information Technology

Microsoft will begin blocking older and less secure authentication methods used by many third‑party email applications in March. Employees are encouraged to use the Microsoft Outlook app to ensure secure and uninterrupted access to AgriLife email. Additional information is available here.

Website owners who have not yet coordinated with the Center for Managed IT Services should do so to complete the Web Strategy Transition. Details can be found here.

AgriLife IT is also announcing that the TechBuy Storefront has opened in Room 153 of AGSV in College Station. More information is available here. 

The final round of Windows 10 isolation notices were sent on Monday, Feb. 16, as described here.

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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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