Congratulations! | Faculty Updates | Academic Affairs

Dean’s Team Updates

Congratulations!

  • Among those we are celebrating are …
    • Dr. Kerri Gehring, VC Dean’s Office and ANSC, who has received an American Meat Science Association Signal Service Fellow Award. A graduate and an undergraduate student also won awards from the American Meat Science Association.
    • Drs. Juliana Rangel, ENTO; Rodolfo Nayga, AGEC; and Gary Wingenbach, ALEC, who have received Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program awards for the 2026-2027 academic year.
    • Dr. Amit Dhingra, HORT, who was named Outstanding Researcher by the American Society for Horticultural Science. A graduate student and two undergraduates also won awards from the American Society for Horticultural Science.
    • Dr. Yuxiang Sun, NUTR, who has been appointed to the Christine Richardson Endowed Professorship in Agriculture.
    • Dr. James Cain, RWFM, who has been appointed to the Dr. Red Duke Boone and Crockett Endowed Chair in Wildlife Conservation.
    • Dr. Chris Skaggs, VC Dean’s Office and ANSC, who has been reappointed to the San Antonio Livestock Exposition Endowed Chair.
    • Hyunrae Kim, HMGT, who won the Travel and Tourism Research Association’s J. Desmond Slattery Award.

Dean’s Open Office Hours

  • Dean’s Open Office Hours will resume in August. Please contact Jill Lee for any questions.

Upcoming Deadlines and Dates

  • Full summer semester schedule.
  • Full fall semester schedule.
  • Thursday, Aug. 6, AgriLife new faculty orientation.
  • Tuesday-Friday, Aug. 11-14, Texas A&M University new faculty orientation.
  • Monday-Tuesday, Aug. 17-18, Texas A&M University new administrator orientation.
  • Thursday, Oct. 1, 3-4:30 p.m., College Connect, for College employees.
  • Saturday, Oct. 17, AGLS Annual Tailgate.

Faculty Updates

  • Applications for the College’s Undergraduate Research Scholars program close Monday, Aug. 3. Participants in this program must have a faculty mentor. If you are interested in developing undergraduate research, please review the information on the program webpage and contact Dr. Craig Coates for more information.
  • Texas A&M University Faculty Development
    • Texas A&M University Faculty Affairs provides ongoing professional development opportunities for faculty at every career stage. Faculty members are encouraged to regularly seek new ways to enhance and advance their careers at Texas A&M.
  • 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 is sharing information about the FAC 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.
  • 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

  • Thursday, Oct. 1, 3-4:30 p.m. College Connect. All College of Agriculture and Life Sciences employees are invited to join us as we recognize recipients of the Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Awards, and the Association of Former Students-College Level Teaching Awards. We will also recognize College faculty who have received promotion and/or tenure, and we will welcome all new College faculty.
  • 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.
  • The U.S. Department of Justice has issued an Interim Final Rule extending the ADA Title II digital accessibility compliance deadline to April 26, 2027, for institutions of our size. Federally funded grants and programs are subject to a May 11, 2027, compliance deadline under Section 504.
  • 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.
  • 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. 
  • Tech Tuesday Digital Accessibility Series, May to September. Tech Tuesday is featuring a Digital Accessibility series led by Texas A&M AgriLife Educational Development and Engagement, EDE. The series focuses on creating accessible and inclusive digital content and is open to all Texas A&M AgriLife employees. Each month includes one virtual session and one in-person session to support flexible participation. Registration is required through AgriLife Register. Learn more here.
  • The Texas A&M University academic calendar for 2026–2027 is now available. The fall 2026 semester will not include a fall break, a change based on faculty input intended to create a more consistent instructional schedule and ease end-of-semester grading and academic demands.
  • 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.
  • Responsible Conduct of Research, RCR, Training is required for all researchers, including undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral trainees, within 6 months of joining a research group. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences requires all thesis-option master’s and doctoral students to take CITI training and 4 hours of VPR RCR training, regardless of funding source. All non-thesis master’s students and undergraduate student researchers must complete CITI training. Visit the Vice President for Research’s Office Responsible Conduct of Research website to learn more.
  • 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.
  • 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 requires 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).
  • Undergraduate Student Math Placement Exam process. There is now 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 preparatory 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. 
  • 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. 
  • 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.
  • 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/.
  • Subscribe to the Graduate Advisors Listserv if you are a staff or faculty member working with graduate and professional students, and stay informed.
  • From the University Staff Council:

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]. 
  • 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.

Information and Resources for Graduate Students

  • Graduate employee travel. If traveling to a country designated as a foreign adversary for personal reasons, graduate students are required to submit the Certification of Personal Travel to a Foreign Adversary in Workday. Pre-travel notification is submitted using the Certification of Personal Travel to a Foreign Adversary questionnaire in Workday. Upon return, graduate students must complete the report “Request Process: Certification of Personal Travel to a Foreign Adversary” in Workday. Graduate students 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 apply to all personal travel to such countries, per GA-48. Additional information regarding these requirements can be found on the Division of Risk, Ethics and Compliance dedicated webpage. 
  • Monday, Aug. 17 or Friday, Aug. 21, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Memorial Student Center, 2nd floor: New Graduate Student Orientation, NGSO, by invitation, intended for new, incoming graduate and professional students.
  • Tuesday, Aug. 18, 6-7:30 p.m., Zoom: New Distant Graduate Student Orientation, by invitation only for new distance graduate students.
  • Monday, Aug. 24, 3-5 p.m., outside Nagle Hall, Graduate and Professional School Howdy Social. Open to all current graduate and professional students (invitations will be sent via email). This is a great opportunity to build community and kick off the semester.
  • Graduate Student Experience Study: Last year, the university conducted a study of the graduate student experience. The recommendations from a committee of faculty, staff and graduate students highlighted opportunities to better integrate graduate students into the Aggie experience and to address unique challenges they face. Individual leads are now working on implementing recommendations accepted from the study.
  • 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.
  • The University Writing Center has several programs for graduate students.
    • 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.
    • Graduate Student Workshops, online workshops on writing and presenting at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays several times a year. Register for them.
  • 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.

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!

People biking and walking near the entrance to The Gardens at Texas A&M University

Rise and Shine

  • Friday, Aug. 21
  • 8:30-11 a.m.
  • The Gardens at Texas A&M University

Join the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council, C.O.A.L.S. Council, in celebrating the start of the academic year.

Enjoy breakfast and coffee and meet members of C.O.A.L.S. Council and student organizations.

For more information about the event, contact Miranda Skaggs.

Professional Services Updates

AgriLife Administrative Services

Employee Wellness

See upcoming opportunities to learn about numerous wellness topics in the AgriLife Employee Wellness July Newsletter.

Professional Development

  • Global Leadership Initiative, GLI, is a cohort-based, nine-month professional development program designed to strengthen global engagement leadership among faculty and staff across The Texas A&M University System. Launching in fall 2026 and continuing through spring 2027, the program combines structured learning, collaborative projects and immersive experiences to build the skills needed to lead international initiatives in higher education. Participants engage in monthly facilitated sessions, a cross-institutional capstone project and an immersive site experience while learning directly from experienced leaders in global education. The program emphasizes practical skills, peer learning and system-wide collaboration. Apply by August 9. More information can be found online.
Visit AgriLife Administrative Services

AgriLife Educational Development and Engagement

AgriLife offers a variety of accessibility resources and training opportunities to support you. Please visit the intranet and the AgriLife Aspire learning platform to access: 

These resources are designed to empower you and make accessibility a part of your daily work. 

Visit AgriLife EDE

AgriLife Information Technology

Texas A&M AgriLife Information Technology provides several July resources to help AGLS employees stay organized, productive, and connected. Employees are encouraged to visit the newly updated CMTS website and learn more about its features in the news article, CMTS Unveils Redesigned Website Featuring CMTS Chat.

Employees who manage multiple Microsoft accounts are encouraged to use Microsoft Edge profiles to separate accounts, reduce login issues, and streamline access to Microsoft 365 applications. A step-by-step resource is available to help employees get started (access the Edge profile guide).

The Tech Tuesday Digital Accessibility Series continues with an in-person session on July 28. This series, led by AgriLife Educational Development and Engagement, provides practical strategies for creating accessible and inclusive digital content in day-to-day work. Employees are encouraged to view the schedule and register.

Additionally, the featured Aspire eLearning course, Microsoft Loop Quick Tips (35 minutes), offers a self-paced option for strengthening organization and collaboration skills. This course highlights practical features that can be applied immediately to managing projects, capturing ideas, and improving teamwork. Employees may explore the Microsoft Loop Quick Tips course. 

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, Texas A&M AgriLife’s digital magazine and newsroom.
Visit AgriLife Today

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