College Update – March 2026

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Congratulations! | Faculty Affairs | Academic Affairs

Dean’s Team Updates

Congratulations!

  • Congratulations to this year’s Association of Former Students University-Level Distinguished Achievement Award recipients:
    • Dr. Yuxiang Sun, NUTR, Research.
    • Dr. Rebecca Buckley, FSTC, Teaching.
    • Jamie Norgaard, Dean’s Office, Staff.
  • Congratulations to Dr. Ben Wu, ECCB, for being named the R.H. Cintron Professor for Teaching Excellence.
  • Congratulations to Dr. Greg Sword, ENTO, for being reappointed to the Charles R. Parencia Endowed Chair in Cotton Entomology.

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

  • The Administrative Burden and Process Improvement Initiative is designed to reduce unnecessary administrative complexity, improve institutional processes, and ensure faculty and staff have the time, resources and support needed to focus on their core academic responsibilities. Share your burdens at the online form.
  • Free digital accessibility training: Texas A&M employees can build their digital accessibility skills through the Academy by Level Access, which offers more than 70 self-paced courses designed to help employees develop practical skills for creating accessible websites, documents, instructional materials and digital services. Texas A&M employees must have an Academy account before registering for training. Email [email protected] to request an account. 
  • There has been a change to the scoring of the TOEFL iBT test, which Texas A&M accepts to meet university English Language Proficiency Requirements. The Office of Admissions and the Graduate and Professional Council approved new TOEFL iBT scoring requirements for international graduate students for Admission, Verification (to register) and Certification (for teaching).
    • Beginning in summer 2026, for ELP Admission and Verification, the university will require a TOEFL iBT overall score of 4.5 and a minimum of 4.0 on all individual skills sections, and for ELP Certification Requirement levels, a speaking score of:
      • 5.5-6.0 for Level 1 Certification (to hold a GAT/GAL position without restrictions),
      • 4.5-5.0 for Level 2 Conditional Certification (to hold a GAT/GAL position for one semester only), and
      • 4.0 for Level 3 Verification only (Ineligible to hold a GAT/GAL position).
    • The university will accept previous TOEFL iBT scores (under the previous scoring scheme) as long as they remain valid (up to 2 years after the original exam date).
  • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Development
    • APT Faculty Career Advancement Session
      • Thursday, April 16, 12:30-2 p.m., AGLS 129.
    • Bites & Insights
      • 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.
  • Open Access Education Resources reduce 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

  • Friday, March 27, National AI Literacy Day. Texas A&M will host a daylong series of panels, workshops and interactive sessions designed to promote AI literacy and education. Learn more at ai.tamu.edu.
  • From the University Staff Council:
  • 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 Local Learning Community on Zoom. 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 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 connect with 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

  • Monday, March 23, at 11:59 pm CST: Applications for the CIRTL@Texas A&M Teaching as Research (TAR) program are due. Interested individuals can apply through the Teaching as Research application. Learn more about the TAR program on CIRTL@Texas A&M’s Teaching as Research webpage.
  • Thursday, April 2. Third Annual College Mini Research Symposium, hosted by Animal Sciences Graduate Student Association. 
  • Friday-Sunday, April 17-19, overnight canoe and camp at Caddo Lake: Join the Rec Center for a weekend trip to Caddo Lake State Park. Learn more here.
  • Monday, April 27, 2-4 p.m., Rudder Theater, Grad School Awards Ceremony: Mark your calendars for a celebration of the achievements of our outstanding students, faculty and staff at the Graduate and Professional School Awards Ceremony.
  • 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. The Thesis and Dissertation office requires 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.
    • 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!

Hullabloom Fest

  • Saturday, April 18
  • 9-11:30 a.m.
  • The Gardens at Texas A&M University

This community event invites guests of all ages to explore the vibrant world of bees, butterflies and other garden helpers through hands‑on activities, educational stations and blooming seasonal displays.

Enjoy light refreshments, educational demonstrations, gardening resources and family‑friendly crafts. And, take part in what has become the highlight of the Hullabloom Fest: the butterfly release.

There will be a Sensory Free/Quiet Zone during for anyone who may want or need a quieter environment.

Visitors can park for free in Lot 97 or Lot 100c during the event. Find more information at gardens.tamu.edu/hullabloom-fest.

Professional Services Updates

AgriLife Administrative Services

Employee Wellness

Professional Development

Visit AgriLife Administrative Services

AgriLife Educational Development and Engagement

Accessibility Resources and Trainings

Visit AgriLife EDE

AgriLife Information Technology

AgriLife Information Technology, AgriLife IT, continues to advance technology services that support research, teaching and daily operations across the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Recent highlights include statewide research technology engagement, expanded in-person technology purchasing support and important Microsoft 365 updates.

The Center for Managed Technology Services, CMTS, showcased its shared-services research IT model at statewide and campus events, emphasizing how secure, scalable infrastructure can strengthen research productivity and collaboration across the Texas A&M University System. Learn more in ​​CMTS Connects, Shares, and Leads Across Texas​​.

AgriLife employees also turned out in strong numbers for the opening of the TechBuy Storefront, a new walk-in resource that provides hands-on access to devices, personalized purchasing guidance and direct support from the TechBuy team. Read more about the opening day and early feedback in ​​A Great Turnout for the TechBuy Storefront Grand Opening​​.

On the productivity front, Microsoft has enhanced Microsoft 365 Copilot by expanding the AI models available behind the scenes, improving Copilot’s ability to handle complex, multi-step tasks such as research, analysis and drafting. AgriLife employees already have access to core Copilot features, with optional paid licenses available for advanced capabilities. Details are available in ​​New in Microsoft 365 Copilot: Expanded Model Choice​​.

Finally, AgriLife IT completed a significant email update with the rollout of the new Outlook for Windows, which became the default experience for most AgriLife employees in January 2026. The updated Outlook introduced a modern interface, improved shared mailbox handling, and enhanced productivity tools. Learn more in ​Coming January 2026: The New Outlook for Windows​.

Visit AgriLife IT

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.
Visit AgriLife Today

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