College Update – March 2025

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Deadlines and dates | Congratulations! | Open office hours

Dean’s Team Updates

Congratulations!

  • Seven members of the College have been selected to receive the 2025 University Level Distinguished Achievement Awards, presented by The Association of Former Students and Texas A&M University.
    • Dr. David Anderson, Department of Agricultural Economics.
    • Dr. Kim Dooley, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
    • Dr. Shawn Ramsey, Department of Animal Science.
    • Dr. Stephen Smith, Department of Animal Science.
    • Dr. Michelle Henderson Pozzi, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
    • Dr. Lee Fitzgerald, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
    • Dr. Leslie Kelso-Winemiller, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
  • Read more at AgriLife Today.

Dean’s Open Office Hours

  • Dr. Savell and Dr. Klein are holding Dean’s Open Office Hours. Please contact Jill Lee for scheduling or if you have any questions.

Upcoming Deadlines and Dates

Faculty Affairs

  • Through Friday, March 21: Chancellor EDGES Fellowship 2025 is open to associate professors or recently promoted full professors. The College can submit up to 6 nominees. In addition to a complete CV, please provide a letter of nomination (maximum of 2000 words). The letter should include an assessment of the breadth and importance of the nominee’s scholarly work relative to their peers, the impact on the discipline or society, and evidence of substantial national or international recognition that argues for future recognition at the highest levels.
  • Study abroad program development funding opportunities: The College is providing matching grants for international site visits to faculty and departments interested in increasing study abroad opportunities through development of new faculty-led or transfer credit group programs. If you are interested, please email Daniel Putnam.
  • Bites & Insights Faculty Development Series: The Bites & Insights Faculty Development Series will continue throughout the spring 2025 semester. Sessions will be held Wednesday, March 19, Thursday, April 10 and Wednesday, April 23. Calendar invitations have already been sent to faculty, with more details and a link to RSVP to be provided in advance of each event. Contact Dr. Craig Coates with any questions. 
  • Teaching Community of Practice: Spring 2025 meetings for the Teaching Community of Practice will be held on Thursday, March 27 and Wednesday, April 16. An RSVP will be requested in advance of each event, as lunch will be provided. Interested faculty who have not previously joined the community should complete the online survey and then contact Dr. Craig Coates for more information.
  • From the Texas A&M Center for Teaching Excellence:
    • Center for Teaching Excellence has a formal Faculty Mentoring Academy to promote a culture of mentoring within and across Texas A&M University. For more information, visit the center’s page for the faculty mentoring academy.
    • The Center for Teaching Excellence proudly offers resources to empower faculty instruction and to create a more enriching classroom learning environment. Explore diverse 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.
  • Texas A&M University Faculty Affairs provides ongoing professional development opportunities for faculty at every career stage. Faculty are encouraged to regularly seek new ways to enhance and advance their careers at Texas A&M.

General Academic Affairs

  • Are you ready to expand your leadership skills or support someone else’s development? Apply or nominate for LEAD AgriLife, an executive leadership development program that focuses on enhancing leadership abilities, building networks, improving problem-solving and leading effective teams. With three in-person sessions, this program prepares participants to drive the future success of Texas A&M AgriLife. Apply or nominate an AgriLife employee today to be part of this impactful experience!
  • The Texas A&M University Office of Staff Advocacy and Support provides a neutral, confidential and independent service to staff seeking conflict resolution. Services provided include consultation, referrals, explanations of policies and procedures, review of applicable resolution methods, mediation and other services.
  • Tax Resources for International Students and Scholars
    • Most international students, scholars and student interns DO need to file a tax form with the IRS even if they earned no income and even if they have already left the U.S.
    • Most international students, scholars and student interns CANNOT utilize the common tax filing software products advertised in the U.S. because this will result in improper tax filing.
    • ISSS maintains detailed tax information and resources at https://global.tamu.edu/isss/resources/taxes.
    • ISSS partners with Sprintax to provide tax filing software and support for international students, scholars and student interns. Sprintax access codes for the 2024 tax year were emailed to international students, scholars and student interns and will be resent several times before the tax filing deadline of Tuesday, April 15.
  • International Travel Guidance: The Texas A&M System Research Security Office updated the list of countries of concern to mirror the countries in the Governor’s Executive Order GA-48 and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s adversaries list: China, North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Russia and the Venezuelan political regime of Nicolas Maduro. According to the latest guidance from the Office of General Counsel, Texas A&M AgriLife will not approve new travel requests for professional purposes to these adversarial countries. Personal travel is not impacted at this time.
  • Doctoral Education Program update: The Texas A&M University System will sunset the Doctoral Education Program. The program will not accept new participants after Thursday, May 15. All participants accepted into the program by May 15 will continue to receive funding until May 31, 2028.
  • 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.
  • ARCS is the new system graduate students use to submit non-course requirements. Phase II is now in development and will bring degree plans and associated petitions into ARCS when implemented.
  • An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate STEM 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

  • Monday-Friday, March 17-21: Student Research Week 2025. Student Research Week is the largest student-run research symposium in the country, providing an opportunity for all Texas A&M University students, from all disciplines, to present their innovative, any-stage research.
  • Thursday-Friday, March 20-21: The 25th annual Ecological Integration Symposium will be held at the Annenberg Presidential Center at Texas A&M University. This entirely student-run event promises to be a dynamic experience for those passionate about ecology and evolutionary biology. This year’s theme is “Novel Methods in Ecology.”
    • Day 1: Six highly influential plenary speakers from diverse fields in ecology and evolutionary biology will present their cutting-edge research. They will also engage in a thought-provoking discussion panel, offering valuable insights and perspectives.
    • Day 2: Student oral and poster presentations will showcase the exciting and innovative work being done by the next generation of scientists.
    • Register at https://u.tamu.edu/EIS2025.
  • Due Wednesday, April 30: Undergraduate business plan competition submissions. The Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School, in collaboration with the College of Engineering, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Architecture, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Texas A&M Innovation, has announced a new undergraduate business plan competition. The competition invites teams of undergraduate student founders from universities across the nation to submit business plans that leverage AI to address real-world challenges. Learn more and submit a business plan online by Wednesday, April 30.
  • Undergraduate Research Scholars: 25 students are currently participating in the College Undergraduate Research Scholars Program. The full list of scholars, their research project titles and faculty mentors is online. Students interested in participating in academic year 2025-26 will be invited to apply later in spring 2025. Current participants will present the results of their research at a public symposium on Wednesday, April 30.
  • A Pocket Pantry is available at Suite 109 in Kleberg. It 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]. 
  • Algebra Video Series is a resource for students to ensure they are prepared for their math and statistics courses at Texas A&M. You can explore the Algebra Series online.
  • Mental health support for all students:
    • University Health Services offers mental health support options for Texas A&M University students 24 hours a day. 
    • During normal business hours, individual counseling, group counseling, and a variety of health and wellness workshops provide growth opportunities through both in-person and virtual formats.
    • 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. Also, University Health Services maintains a robust library of mental health-focused self-help content to help students navigate challenges related to anxiety, depression, relationships and more.
    • HelpLine will officially transition to Aggie Peer Connect in April. Until Aggie Peer Connect launches, students can continue to access University Health Services resources and support options via the TELUS Health Student Support app, mental health self-help resources, mental health workshops and group counseling. If your department has materials that reference HelpLine, including syllabi, printed and digital resource listings, and other informational items, please work to remove the references to the HelpLine and replace them with Aggie Peer Connect.
    • The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has an embedded licensed professional counselor. Ms. Molly McCann dedicates her time to the wellness of students in AGLS, with an office located at BCBP 103C. Contact her at [email protected] or 979.845.5032.
  • Prospective Student Information Sessions occur weekly on Fridays – students can register for a visit with a recruiter at https://recruiter.tamu.edu/.

Resources for Graduate Students

  • Monday-Friday, April 7-11: As part of Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week, the Grad School and Graduate and Professional Student Government will host events to bring our community together in recognition and celebration of graduate students.
  • Thursday, April 24. Save the date: Graduate students are cordially invited to attend the 2025 Graduate and Professional School Awards Ceremony and Reception. At this ceremony, we will honor the Distinguished Dissertation, Montgomery and Graduate Mentoring award winners, as well as GRAD Aggies Certificate earners. The ceremony will be followed by a reception in Rudder Exhibit Hall.
  • Tuesday, April 29: Last day to apply for graduation in May.
  • The Texas A&M University Genome Editing Symposium Organization Committee is recruiting new graduate student members to help make this year’s symposium another outstanding event. Apply by sending your name, program, expected graduation year and CV by email with the subject line “GES 2025 Application” to [email protected].
  • New minimum graduate student stipends: Provost Sams has approved the establishment of a university minimum graduate assistant stipend. In the College, the minimum stipend rates are as follows: Graduate Assistant Teaching/Research/Lecturer positions, $1,850 per month for 50% FTE, effective Oct. 1, 2024; and Graduate Assistant Non-Teaching positions, $21 per hour, effective Sept. 1, 2025.
  • The Graduate and Professional Student Government, GPSG, is looking for graduate student representatives from your departments to serve in various capacities. Please visit the GPSG website for more information.
  • 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.
  • The University Writing Center hosts the Writing Cafe for graduate students on the first Friday of every month in the Evans Library Grad Lounge, Room 611.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council

Professional Services Updates

AgriLife Administrative Services

Employee Wellness

  • Catapult Health clinics.
    • Catapult Health is offering free onsite preventive health checkups that can lower plan premiums for employees and spouses enrolled in the A&M Care Health Plan with Group ID #039993 (this does not concern retirees, A&M Care J Plan participants and graduate assistants, who receive a lower premium). Completing a Catapult exam and one WebMD One checklist activity by June 30 qualifies for a $30 monthly premium reduction for the next year. The WebMD One platform is accessible online. Covered spouses should register for their own account using the employee’s assigned UIN as the registration ID. Employees can access WebMD One on the Single Sign On (SSO) menu. Learn more at the linked pdf.
    • The following Catapult Health Checkups are by appointment only. Sign up by going to www.TimeConfirm.com/TAMU/AgriLife or www.virtualcheckup.com/h/tamu. The TVMDL event is limited to AgriLife employees with building access, and the May clinic will be opened for sign-ups at a later date.
      • Thursday, March 20, AGSV first floor.
      • Wednesday, March 26, Richard and Patsy Wallrath AgriLife Extension Building.
      • Thursday, April 3, TAMFS/TEEX Headquarters Bldg.
      • Monday, April 21, AgriLife TVMDL.
      • Thursday, May 29, AGSV first floor.

Professional Development

Visit Administrative Services

AgriLife Educational Development and Engagement

With the rising importance of digital accessibility, for this academic year, the Council for Academic Technology and Innovative Education, CATIE, workgroup for UDL and Accessibility has decided to focus on supporting accessibility initiatives across The Texas A&M University System. The workgroup is offering monthly training sessions on tools that will help remediate instructional materials. These trainings will occur the third Friday of every month from 11 a.m. to noon via Zoom. Please find specific details in the Spring 2025 Accessibility Training Schedule (pdf).

Visit AgriLife Educational Development and Engagement

AgriLife Information Technology

Technology is evolving quickly, and staying up to date can help you work more efficiently and securely. Here’s what you need to know this month:

Prepare for Windows 10 End of Support

Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10 in October 2025. To prevent security risks and disruptions, devices that are not compatible with Windows 11 must be replaced. Check your device’s compatibility on the AgriLife Computer Inventory Dashboard.

Enhance Productivity with Microsoft CoPilot

Microsoft CoPilot is the only AI tool officially supported by AgriLife IT. It can summarize discussions, generate reports, and streamline daily tasks. Learn more about how AI can support your work:

AI Use at AgriLife: Know the Guidelines

AI tools must be used securely and ethically. Review the official AgriLife AI Procedures (pdf) to ensure compliance and best practices.

For additional support, visit the AgriLife IT Intranet site.

Visit AgriLife IT

AgriLife Marketing and Communications

Training and Development: Branding and Social Media 

Thank you to those who attended our first Branding and Social Media Office Hour of 2025. We enjoyed chatting with everyone through some insightful questions and ideas.  

We now have a specific Marketing and Communications Training and Development intranet page where you’ll find what you need to stay updated on upcoming office hours, training sessions, workshops and tools to effectively manage social media and uphold Texas A&M AgriLife brand standards. 

Feel free to visit and follow the page at tx.ag/MarCommTraining. 

New AgriLife Photo Booth – Professional Headshots On Demand

Are you in the College Station area? Visiting College Station at some point? Check out the new AgriLife Photo Booth located on the first floor’s east lobby of the Agriculture and Life Sciences, AGLS, building in College Station.

  • Available anytime: The photo booth is accessible whenever the building is open, with no need for booking ahead of time.
  • For everyone: Don’t live in College Station? No problem! You can still use the photo booth whenever you’re visiting the area.
  • Headshots on demand: Get a professional headshot instantly! There is no need to schedule. Receive your photo via email and text immediately after taking it.
  • For professional use: Perfect for LinkedIn, personal branding or any other professional use.
  • Location: The booth is located on the first floor of the AGLS building, in the east entrance lobby.

For more information, please visit the AgriLife Photo Booth intranet page.

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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.
Visit AgriLife Today

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