Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, TA&M, or TAMU) is a public land-grant research university in College Station, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. Since 2021, Texas A&M has enrolled the largest student body in the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and since 2001 has been a member of the Association of American Universities.

The university was the first public higher education institution in Texas; it opened for classes on October 4, 1876, as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (A.M.C.) under the provisions of the 1862 Morrill Land-Grant Act. In the following decades, the college grew in size and scope, expanding to its largest enrollment during WWII before its first significant stagnation in enrollment post-war. Enrollment grew again in the 1960s under the leadership of President James Earl Rudder, during whose tenure the college desegregated, became coeducational, and ended the requirement for participation in the Corps of Cadets. In 1963, to reflect the institution's expanded roles and academic offerings, the Texas Legislature renamed the college Texas A&M University; the letters "A&M" were retained as a tribute to the university's former designation.

The university's main campus spans over 5,500 acres (22 km2) and includes the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. The university offers degrees in more than 130 courses of study through 18 colleges and houses 21 research institutes. As a senior military college, Texas A&M is one of six American universities classed as such and has a full-time, volunteer Cadet Corps whose members study alongside civilian undergraduate students. About one-fifth of the student body lives on campus. Texas A&M has more than 1,000 officially recognized student organizations. The university's students, alumni, and sports teams are known as Aggies. Its athletes compete in eighteen varsity sports as a member of the Southeastern Conference.

History

Early years

In 1862, the U.S. Congress passed the Morrill Act, which auctioned land grants of public lands to establish endowments for colleges at which the "leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and mechanical arts ... to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life". In 1871, the Texas Legislature used these funds to establish the state's first public institution of higher education, the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, (Texas A.M.C.). Brazos County donated 2,416 acres (10 km2) near Bryan, Texas, for the college's campus. From its beginning until the late 1920s, students were officially nicknamed "Farmers" but the moniker "Aggies"—a common nickname for students at schools focused heavily on agriculture—gained favor and became the official student-body nickname in 1949.

The first day of classes was set for October 2, 1876, but only six students enrolled on the first day. Classes were delayed and officially began on October 4 with six faculty members and forty students at the military school. During the first semester, enrollment increased to 48 students and by the end of the 1877 spring semester, 106 students had enrolled. Admission was limited to white males, who were required to participate in the Corps of Cadets and receive military training. Originally, the college taught no classes in agriculture or engineering, instead concentrating on classical studies, languages, literature, and applied mathematics. After initial resistance from faculty, the college began to focus on degrees in scientific agriculture, and civil and mechanical engineering. In 1881, enrollment grew to 258 but declined to 108 in 1883, the same year the University of Texas opened in Austin. Although originally envisioned and annotated in the Texas Constitution as a branch of the soon-to-begin University of Texas, Texas A.M.C. had a separate Board of Directors from the University of Texas and was never incorporated into the University of Texas System.

In the late 1880s, many Texas residents saw no need for two colleges in Texas and advocated for the elimination of Texas A.M.C. In 1891, the college was saved from closure by its new president Lawrence Sullivan Ross, former Governor of Texas and former Confederate Brigadier General, by demonstrating the college could function and excel in its established form under proper leadership. Ross made many improvements to the campus, installing running water and permanent dormitories. Enrollment doubled under his tenure to 467 cadets as parents sent their sons to Texas A.M.C. to emulate the traits of Ross. Many college traditions began under Ross's presidency, including the creation of the first Aggie Ring, the senior class ring. Ross served until his death in 1898; to honor his contributions to the college, a statue of him was erected in 1918 in front of modern-day Academic Plaza.

Campuses

College Station campus

Texas A&M's College Station campus spans 5,200 acres (21 km2) and Research Park covers an additional 350 acres (1 km2). The university is part of the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area of Brazos County, which is located in the Brazos Valley (Southeast Central Texas) region, an area often referred to as "Aggieland". Brazos Valley is centrally located within 200 miles (320 km) of three of the ten largest cities in the U.S. and 75% of the population of Texas and Louisiana—approximately 13 million people. The area's major roadway is State Highway 6, and several smaller state highways and Farm to Market Roads connect the area to larger highways such as Interstate 45.

The College Station campus is bisected by a railroad track operated by Union Pacific. The area east of the tracks, known as main campus, includes buildings for the colleges of engineering, architecture, geosciences, science, education, and liberal arts. Dormitories, the main dining centers, and many campus support facilities are also on the main campus. Notable buildings on the main campus include Kyle Field, Sterling C. Evans Library, the Academic Building, Harrington Hall, the Memorial Student Center, the Administration Building, Rudder Tower, Albritton Bell Tower, and the Bonfire Memorial. To the west of the railroad tracks lies West Campus, which includes most of the sports facilities, the business school, agricultural programs, life sciences, the veterinary college, the political science and economics school, George Bush School of Government & Public Service, George Bush Presidential Library, and two schools within the Texas A&M Health Science Center.

Branch campuses

Besides the College Station main campus, the university formally includes three branch campuses:

Texas A&M University at Galveston is dedicated to marine research and hosts the Texas A&M Maritime Academy;

Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen is dedicated to engineering, biomedical science, public health, and food systems industry management; and

Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) in Education City, Al Rayyan, Qatar, is dedicated to engineering disciplines.

Texas A&M Health maintains several other Health Science Centers and campuses away from the Bryan-College Station campus. The School of Engineering Medicine (EnMed), at the Houston Methodist Hospital, and the Texas A&M Institute of Biosciences and Technology, are both located in the Texas Medical Center in Houston. The School of Dentistry is located in Dallas, and the institution has a presence in Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Lufkin, McAllen, Round Rock, and Temple. Texas A&M School of Law, formerly Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, is located in Fort Worth. Texas A&M maintains the RELLIS Campus, formerly the Texas A&M University-Riverside Campus and Bryan Air Force Base, which was transferred from the university to become a separate entity within the Texas A&M University System in September 2015.

Academics

Administration and organization

Texas A&M is part of the Texas A&M University System, which consists of 12 universities, eight state agencies, and the RELLIS Campus. The system is governed by a ten-member Board of Regents, nine of whom are appointed by the Governor of Texas to six-year terms, and one non-voting Student Regent who is appointed to a one-year term. The Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System is responsible for day-to-day operations and is answerable to the Board of Regents.

The university is led by the university president, who has executive responsibility, and is selected by and reports to the chancellor. The provost is responsible for all educational and service activities of the university, and reports to the president. The cabinet, as the institution's administrative arm, and the deans of the respective colleges, also report to the president. The university and colleges are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and associated professional organizations offering degrees in 130 courses of study, over 260 professional and graduate degrees via its 17 colleges, and further opportunities in 21 research centers and institutes.

Student body

As of the fall semester in 2021, Texas A&M was the largest American university with an enrollment of 72,982 students who were pursuing degrees in 17 academic colleges. The student body originates from all 50 U.S. states and over 120 other countries. Texas residents account for 86.27% of the student population and 7.42% are of international origin. The demographics of the student body are 52.9% male and 47.1% female. Members of ethnic minority groups make up 42.2% of the student population. According to U.S. News & World Report, Texas A&M has a student-to-teacher ratio of 19:1 and an average-freshman-retention rate of 92%. According to the institution, in 2019, it had a four-year-graduation rate of 59% and a six-year-graduation of 81.7%. College of Engineering had the largest enrollment of 29.6%. The College of Liberal Arts and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences followed, enrolling 12% and 11% of the student body, respectively. The School of Education and Human Development and Mays Business School each enrolled 9%. The remaining schools enrolled less than 6% each. In addition, slightly more than 3% of the student body had not declared a major.

As of 2019, the university enrolled the seventh-highest total of National Merit scholars in the United States and the third-highest among all public universities. As of 2021, about 72% of the student body receives about $810 million in financial aid annually. The admission rate of students who applied as undergraduates in 2020 was 63%. The school is rated as "more selective" by U.S. News & World Report.

Student life

Residential life

As of 2020, approximately 20% of the Texas A&M student body lived on campus, primarily in one of two distinct housing sections located on opposite ends of the campus. Both the Northside and Southside areas contain student residence halls. Some halls are single-sex. Several halls include a "substance-free" floor whose residents pledge to refrain from bringing alcoholic beverages, recreational drugs, or tobacco products into the hall.

Northside consists of seventeen student residence halls, including two dedicated to honors students. Approximately half of the residence halls on campus are reserved for members of the Corps of Cadets. The university also has four major apartment complexes for both staff and students, which are located both on and adjacent to the campus.

Facilities for the Corps of Cadets are located in the Quadrangle, known as "The Quad", an area consisting of dormitories, Duncan Dining Hall, and the Corps training fields. The Corps Arches, a series of twelve arches that allude to the spirit of the 12th Man, mark the entrance to the Quadrangle. All cadets, except those who are married or who have had previous military service, must live in the Quad with assigned roommates from the same unit and graduating class. The Aggie mascot Reveille, a Rough Collie, lives with her handlers in the Corps in the Quad.

Corps of Cadets

Texas A&M is one of six United States senior military colleges. As of 2019, the university's Corps of Cadets (or the Corps), with more than 2,500 members, is the largest uniformed student body outside the service academies. Many members participate in Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) programs and earn commissions in the United States Armed Forces upon graduation. Members of the Corps have served in every armed conflict fought by the United States since 1876, and over 285 alumni have served as generals or flag officers as of 2021. Until 1965, Corps membership was mandatory. The Corps began accepting female members in the fall semester of 1974.

The Corps of Cadets is composed of four major units, the Air Force Wing, the Army Brigade, the Navy/Marine Regiment, and the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band, whose members may be affiliated with any military branch. Parson's Mounted Cavalry is the only mounted ROTC unit in the United States. The Ross Volunteer Company, one of the oldest student-run organizations in the state, is the official honor guard for the Governor of Texas. The Fish Drill Team, a precision, close-order rifle drill team composed entirely of Corps freshmen, represents Texas A&M in local and national competitions. The team has won the national championship almost every year since their creation in 1946, and has appeared in several Hollywood films, including A Few Good Men and Courage Under Fire, in which they had prominent roles.

Traditions

Texas A&M culture is a product of the university's founding as a rural military and agricultural school. Although the school and surrounding community have grown and military training is no longer mandated, the university's history has instilled in students, according to Paul Burka, "the idealized elements of a small-town life: community, tradition, loyalty, optimism, and unabashed sentimentality". Texas Monthly posits that Texas A&M students' respect for school traditions and values is the university's greatest strength. These traditions enable and encourage students and alumni to cultivate the Aggie Spirit, a strong sense of loyalty and respect for the university. They dictate many aspects of student life, including greeting others using the official school greeting of "Howdy!", personal conduct at university sporting events, and students' word choices in conversation.

A visible designation tradition among senior undergraduates, graduate students nearing the end of their programs, and former students is wearing an Aggie Ring, whose design has been relatively unchanged since its introduction in 1894. Although not sanctioned by the university, many students "dunk" their newly acquired Aggie Rings into a pitcher of beer and drink the entire pitcher in seconds.

Texas A&M students have created two major traditions to honor deceased former students. The Aggie Muster is a ceremony of remembrance held annually on April 21, the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto, to honor current and former students who died the previous year. Alumni also typically socialize and remember their time at the university. Over 300 Musters are held around the world, the largest taking place at Reed Arena on the university's main campus. All Muster ceremonies feature the Roll Call for the Absent, in which names of deceased alumni are called. A family member or friend answers "here" and lights a candle to symbolize that although their loved one is not physically present, his or her spirit will shine forever. This is traditionally followed by a three-volley salute. The event received nationwide attention during World War II, when 25 Texas A&M alumni held a brief Aggie Muster during the Battle of Corregidor.

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