Congratulations! | Faculty Affairs | Academic Affairs

Dean’s Team Updates

Congratulations!

Among those we are celebrating are …

  • Dr. Karen Beathard, who has been appointed our new associate dean for academic affairs.
  • Jill Fay, who has been selected to serve as the University Staff Council Representative for our College.
  • Faculty members who have been appointed or reappointed to endowed positions:
    • Dr. Jeffrey Savell, vice chancellor and dean, reappointed to the E.M. “Manny” Rosenthal Chair in Animal Science.
    • Dr. Oral Capps Jr., AGEC, reappointed to the Southwest Dairy Marketing Chair.
    • Dr. John Mullet, BCBP, reappointed to the Perry L. Adkisson Chair in Agricultural Biology.
    • Dr. Ted Wilson, ENTO, reappointed to the B. Jack Wendt ’44 Texas Rice Research Foundation Endowed Chair.
    • Dr. Scotty Yang, ENTO, appointed to the Endowed Chair in Urban Entomology.
    • Dr. Richard Stebbins, AGEC, appointed to the USAA Educational Foundation Endowed Professorship in Military Financial Readiness.

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

  • Tuesday, Sept. 22, 10 a.m., Texas A&M Academic Program Assessment Reporting Informational Session, see General Academic Affairs.
  • Thursday, Sept. 24, noon-2 p.m., AGLS 129, Bites & Insights.
  • Friday, Sept. 25, 1:30 p.m., Texas A&M Distance Education Reporting Informational Session, see General Academic Affairs.
  • Friday, Sept. 25, 6-10 p.m., Aggie Park, Global Welcome Party.
  • Monday, Sept. 28, 10 a.m. University address by President Susan Ballabina. RSVP by Monday, Sept. 21.
  • Monday, Sept. 28, 5 p.m., CSGS Outstanding Master’s Thesis nominations due.
  • Tuesday, Sept. 29, AGLS Career Fair.
  • Thursday, Oct. 1, 3 p.m., College Connect, for College employees.
  • Friday, Oct. 2, Texas A&M 150th Celebration festivities begin.
  • Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m., AGLS Annual Tailgate.
  • Saturday, Oct. 24, The Gardens Fall Festival.
  • Full Texas A&M University fall semester schedule.

Faculty Updates

  • College faculty development
    • For more information, contact Megan Smith: [email protected]
      • Bites & Insights
        • Thursday, Sept. 24, noon-2 p.m., AGLS 129: Texas A&M University Library Resources for Researchers, with Heather Adair.
      • Teaching Community of Practice
        • Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2:30-4 p.m.: Faculty presentations.
      • Other faculty development sessions
        • Thursday, Oct. 8, noon-2 p.m., AGLS 129: How to conduct peer reviews of teaching and teaching materials, with Dr. Craig Coates.
        • Tuesday, Oct. 13, noon-2 p.m., AGLS 129: How to conduct peer reviews of academic writing, with Dr. Cathy Ross.
        • Tuesday, Nov. 3, noon-2 p.m., AGLS 129: Q&A with newly promoted and/or tenured faculty.
  • Texas A&M University faculty development
    • Faculty Development Series
      • Sessions take place on the first Thursday of each month from noon through 2 p.m. Faculty from across The Texas A&M University System are invited to participate and may do so in-person or via Zoom. Lunch is provided to in-person attendees. The next event will be Thursday, Oct. 1. For more details, please visit Faculty Development Series | Faculty Affairs.
    • Moving Into Retirement
      • Faculty Affairs hosts retirement information sessions each fall and spring semester. In collaboration with the Division of Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness, these workshops are presented to explain the logistics of retiring from Texas A&M depending on particular retirement plans and opportunities to get involved with the Community of Faculty Retirees. For more details, please visit Moving into Retirement | Faculty Affairs.
  • The Texas A&M University System has enhanced the EthicsPoint 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.
  • 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 this workshop series. Learn more.
  • From the Texas A&M Center for Teaching Excellence:
    • 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.
  • The Undergraduate Research Scholars Program currently has 29 students participating. The full list of scholars, their research project titles and faculty mentors will be posted soon.

General Academic Affairs

  • From International Student and Scholar Services, ISSS:
  • The Office of Academic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness (APIE; formerly OIEE) will be offering four virtual assessment informational sessions this fall: two on Academic Program Assessment Reporting and two on Distance Education Effectiveness Reporting. The two sessions offered for each topic will cover the same material, so participants may register for whichever date works best with their schedule. Anyone involved in completing or supporting Academic Program Assessment and/or Distance Education Effectiveness reporting is invited to attend. 
    • Academic Program Assessment Reporting: This session will provide an overview of Academic Program Assessment reporting requirements and offer guidance and best practices for documenting Findings, Use of Results and the Status Update on a Previously Identified Action.
    • Distance Education Effectiveness Reporting: This session will provide an overview of Distance Education Effectiveness reporting requirements and offer guidance and best practices for documenting findings, comparing results with traditional offerings, and identifying data-informed actions to improve the DE student learning and experience. 
  • Friday, Sept. 25, 6-10 p.m., Global Welcome Party: Hosted by Global Engagement, the event is open to everyone at Texas A&M and all members of the Bryan-College Station community. It will feature music, games, dancing, cultural performances, food, prizes, and opportunities to connect with campus and community resources.
  • Changes to Student Rule 7: 7.5 Extended Absences: Please read the rule carefully. If an instructor plans to use the Extended Absences rule, they should include a syllabus statement explaining how they will use it and which activities in their course are participation-based. The following is a draft syllabus statement:
    • Participation-based instructional activities (insert relevant types) are core components of this course and support key learning outcomes. Suitable alternatives are not available for these activities when absences occur. Therefore, in accordance with Student Rule 7.5.1, absences totaling 20% or more of class sessions are considered excessive and will result in a grade of F for the course.
  • New abbreviated syllabus template: This template should be used for any course revisions or new course proposals routing through CARS for AY27-28.
  • Syllabus Review Timeline for spring 2027:
    • The university will send Syllabus Review Guidance on Thursday, Sept. 17.
    • Simple Syllabus will open on Friday, Oct. 2.
    • All course sections should be zeroed out until initial syllabus review is done.
    • Exception requests are due to the university on Friday, Oct. 16; this means they are due to the College a week earlier, on Friday, Oct. 9.
    • The departmental memo and list of spring 2027 courses are due to the College on Monday, Oct. 26. The College memo is due to the president Monday, Nov. 2.
    • Preregistration begins Thursday, Nov. 5.
  • Responsible Conduct of Research, RCR, Training is required for all researchers, including undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral trainees, within six months of joining a research group per 15.99.99.M0.04 Responsible Conduct of Research. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences requires a minimum of CITI training + 4 hours of VPR RCR training for all thesis-option master’s and doctoral students, regardless of funding source, and CITI training for all undergraduate students. Visit the Vice President for Research’s Office Responsible Conduct of Research website to learn more.
  • Graduate handbooks must be maintained by all departments and IDPs. Graduate handbooks must be available to all graduate students and faculty in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
  • 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://accessibility.tamu.edu/.
  • 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. 
  • 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 visit the University Libraries OpenEd Department.
  • 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 for courses selected by leadership for the Accessibility Initiative 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.
  • Texas A&M accepts the TOEFL iBT test 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 for certification to teach.
    • 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 two 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 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 the 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.
  • The Algebra Series is a resource for students to ensure they are prepared for their math and statistics courses at Texas A&M. Explore this valuable resource.
  • 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 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 (15 C.F.R. Section 791.4) 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.
  • Three Minute Thesis, 3MT, Competition: Students can attend development sessions starting on Thursday, Sept. 17, where they can learn tips and tricks to refine their presentation skills. Visit the 3MT portal to learn more!
  • Due Monday, Sept. 28, 5 p.m., nominations for Outstanding Master’s Thesis award from the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools, CSGS. The Graduate and Professional School is seeking nominations for the CSGS Outstanding Master’s Thesis in the categories of:
    • Math, Physical Sciences and Engineering,
    • Humanities and Fine Arts, or
    • Non-Traditional Thesis/Project.
  • Please submit your nominations to the 2027 CSGS Master’s Thesis Awards in GradHub.
  • Thesis and Dissertation Services has developed new resources to support graduate students with new templates, updated guidelines and an improved website. Students starting a new draft are strongly encouraged to use the updated Word or LaTeX templates. Adopting these tools and following the guidelines will help streamline the writing process, minimize revision rounds and expedite final manuscript clearance for graduation. Visit their website.
  • 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 greeting each other at The Shirley & Joe Swinbank '74 AgriLife Center

College Connect

  • Thursday, Oct. 1
  • 3 p.m.
  • The Shirley & Joe Swinbank ’74 AgriLife Center

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.

Featuring special remarks about the Texas A&M University 150th Anniversary.

Professional Services Updates

AgriLife Administrative Services

Employee wellness

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

Professional development

  • Work/life solutions are available to Texas A&M AgriLife employees, including professional and personal training resources, through ComPsych GuidanceResources.
    • WEB ID: TAMUS.
Visit AgriLife Administrative Services

AgriLife Educational Development and Engagement

Announcing the LEAD AgriLife Cohort 4

Texas A&M AgriLife has selected the next group of emerging leaders for LEAD AgriLife. Cohort 4 brings together professionals from across the organization who are committed to expanding their leadership skills, building connections and driving future success. Join us in congratulating the members of this year’s cohort.

Help us congratulate this year’s participants!

Don’t miss the final AgriLife Tech Tuesday Digital Accessibility Session

Join the last session in the AgriLife Tech Tuesday Digital Accessibility Series covering improving, repairing and conducting final checks for accessible PDFs. Learn practical techniques for fixing accessibility issues, conducting quality checks and improving existing PDF documents to better support all users. Register today and strengthen your skills in developing accessible digital content across AgriLife.

  • Tuesday, Sept. 22, 10-11:30 a.m., AGSV 515.
Visit AgriLife EDE

AgriLife Information Technology

AgriLife IT continues to develop resources, guidance and services to help faculty and staff work more efficiently, make informed technology decisions and navigate common technology-related processes.

Work smarter with separate browser profiles

Managing personal and work accounts in the same browser can create confusion, reduce productivity and increase the likelihood of sign-in issues. Browser profiles provide a simple way to keep accounts separate, stay organized and access university resources more efficiently. AgriLife employees can explore available guidance, training opportunities and support resources to get started.

New computer surplus process launches Thursday, Oct. 1

AgriLife IT and the AgriLife Property Office have partnered to introduce a streamlined process for submitting AgriLife IT-supported computers for surplus. The new process is designed to simplify submissions while helping ensure data security and compliance requirements are met. Employees can review the process, frequently asked questions and submission requirements online before the Thursday, Oct. 1 launch.

Why business-class computers matter

When it is time to purchase or replace a computer, selecting the lowest-cost option does not always provide the best long-term value. Business-class computers offer important advantages, including enhanced security, improved reliability, compatibility with university management tools and longer lifecycle support. Learn why AgriLife IT recommends business-class devices for university business use.

Visit the AgriLife IT Intranet for additional technology news, guidance, training opportunities and service updates, and review the latest AgriLife Information Technology Updates Newsletter to stay informed about new services, technology initiatives and upcoming IT resources.

Visit AgriLife IT

AgriLife Marketing and Communications

Texas A&M AgriLife Storefront 

The AgriLife Store is now live! Shop College, department, Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory apparel items. Disclaimer: All online orders will have tax.

PhotoShelter update launches October 2026

Brand accounts will update to the newest Lumen user interface, and the new look will bring more powerful AI search tools. Existing links to photos will continue to work.

Visit AgriLife MarComm

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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