Texas A&M University-Commerce

Mission

Texas A&M University-Commerce nurtures and educates for success through access to academic, research and service programs of high quality.

Priorities and Goals

The following strategic themes and goals form the core of the current A&M-Commerce strategic plan, Unfolding the Future.

Extending the University’s Reach

As part of the statewide “Closing the Gaps” initiative, A&M-Commerce will recruit, retain and graduate a diverse student body.

Achieving the Desired Mix of Programs and Students – Through a universitywide dialog, A&M-Commerce will achieve a consensus concerning the desired mix of undergraduate (both native and transfer students), graduate, and on- and off-campus programs and students, to provide purposeful growth, matching resources to the needs of those we serve.

A&M-Commerce will continue building quality partnerships and alliances with external entities, such as educational institutions (including school districts, community colleges, and other senior institutions, especially others in the A&M System), industry and government agencies.

Recognizing the rising costs of higher education, and the additional financial concerns of students, potential students and their families, A&M-Commerce will assist our students and potential students prepare for the financial needs of a college education.

Improving the University’s Programs

Ongoing program assessment of both academic programs and academic support programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels will focus on student learning outcomes appropriate within each program. The assessment of these learning outcomes will be used to enhance academic programs.

A&M-Commerce will continue as a leader in technology-based learning.

Following a comprehensive review of existing and proposed programs, as well as projected regional and state needs, A&M-Commerce will determine at least one program to target for national reputation, and at least two programs for regional prominence.

Enhancing the Academic Experience

All components of the university that direct interact with students, especially academic departments and units providing direct service to students, will develop and assess plans to enhance student engagement, especially at the freshman and sophomore levels.
Service to students will continue to be student centered, efficient, user friendly, and of the highest quality.

Enriching the Academic Community

Realizing that the primary strength of A&M-Commerce lies in the faculty and staff, the university will take steps to reduce faculty and administration turnover, enhance employee satisfaction at all levels, and foster a culture of openness and communication.

The university commits to a culture of continuous campus improvement, including academic facilities, student housing facilities, student services facilities, and ancillary facilities and grounds.

Faculty research and discovery are activities that enrich both student learning and the larger society. Recognizing this, the university will encourage, support and reward faculty research and scholarly activity, both basic and applied, and the seeking of external funding to support this research. The university will make concerted efforts to attract external funding, and will encourage and reward faculty/staff activities in improving the lives of the people of northeast Texas, as well as the entire state, through external service and applied research.

These themes and goals served as a basis for the presidential goals submitted to the chancellor April 28, 2005. The presidential institutional goals are:

  • Recreate a student-centered institution which fosters student success and values student diversity.
  • Augment the quality of the institution and the academic endeavor broadly to include faculty, staff, facilities, programs and services.
  • Leverage financial resources to maximize student success.
  • Optimize facilities to meet the changing demands of the current and future student population.
  • Develop additional human resource programs to maximize potential and continually improve employees’ quality of work life in order to improve service delivery to students.
  • Implement technological resources in support of student success.
  • Improve the overall quality of the institution.

These goals form the basis for the top four institutional priorities discussed in the next section.

Commentary on Top Priorities

Student Access, Success and Diversity

  • Overall enrollment reached a 20-year high in fall 2004, with a total enrollment of 8,547, up 14.2 percent from the fall 2000 enrollment of 7,483. During this same period, Hispanic enrollment increased 33.6 percent, from 387 to 517, and African-American enrollment increased 33.2 percent, from 1,140 to 1,518. Full-time equivalent enrollment increased at an even higher rate, with overall FTE enrollment increasing 20.5 percent from fall 2000 to fall 2004. Hispanic FTE enrollment increased 50.6 percent and African-American FTE enrollment increased 45.3 percent. These FTE increases indicate more semester credit hours are being taken per student. Semester credit hour production also rose during this period, with undergraduate semester credit hour production increasing 22.5 percent and graduate credit hour production increasing 13.7 percent. These increases were accompanied by an increased percentage of first-time freshmen from the top 10 percent of Texas high school students (from 7.5 percent in fall 2000 to 13.6 percent in fall 2004). The percentage of undergraduate students who are transfers from Texas community colleges also rose 7.4 percent, from 32.6 percent to 40 percent.
  • Graduation rates also improved during this period. As A&M-Commerce continues to enroll significant numbers of first-generation, low-income and minority students, we consider the six-year graduation rate the most important benchmark for our mission. Six-year graduation rates (first-time, full-time freshmen students who graduate from our institution or another Texas public institution) rose from 38.8 percent in fall 2000 to 43.7 percent in fall 2004. The six-year persistence rate (either graduated or still enrolled) also rose from 52.1 percent to 56.4 percent, with the persistence rate of Hispanic students rising from 41.7 percent to 68.1 percent.
  • Retention numbers remained relatively stable from fall 2000 to fall 2004. Retention thus remains a concern for the institution; this past year, a Retention Task Force concluded a year-long study of retention issues at A&M-Commerce and produced a report with specific recommendations that are currently under review by the provost.
  • Total number of degrees awarded also increased 18.2 percent during this time, from 1,662 in FY 2000 to 1,965 in FY 2004. The number of degrees awarded to African-American students increased 25.4 percent, and the number of degrees awarded to Hispanic students increased 19.7 percent.
  • Student success is also affected by quality faculty and student services professionals. As senior faculty and staff retire, efforts are being made to fill these positions, as well as new faculty lines,  within the tenure track, with the goal of increasing the proportion of faculty who are either tenured or tenure-track. Steps will be taken to redeploy faculty resources to increase the percentage of undergraduate semester credit hours taught by tenured, full-time faculty, and the number of freshman- and sophomore-level courses taught by full-time faculty.
  • A&M-Commerce has a tradition of nurturing students, especially first-generation college students, minority students and low-income students. (Approximately 40 percent receive Pell grants.). While the diversification of the student body and increased numbers of undergraduate transfer students have provided new challenges in meeting goals in this area, the university views this as an important aspect of ensuring student success. Evidence of this lies in the scope of the TRIO programs at A&M-Commerce, and the success of students who need developmental education. The six-year graduation/ persistence rate for these students increased 7.4 percent, from 41.5 percent in fall 2000 (1993 cohort) to 48.9 percent in fall 2004 (1997 cohort). Hispanic students made the greatest increase, with an increase of 27.8 percent, from 33.3 percent in 2000 to 61.1 percent in 2004. Plans are also being developed to assist students who do not qualify for TRIO programs; these include the development of an Early Alert System to identify students who are at academic risk early in their academic career, and free tutorial services in mathematics, reading and writing.
  • Perhaps the greatest increase in student success has been in the area of teacher production and certification. The total number of students taking the TExES examinations increased 47.7 percent from FY 2000 to FY 2004 (873 to 1,289). The increase was greatest for African-American students, with a 206.7 percent increase over this period (60 to 184). The increase for Hispanic students was 76.7 percent (43 to 76). While the overall numbers increased, the pass rate also increased from 95 percent in FY 2000 to 96.8 percent in FY 2004. Again, the greatest increases were for African-American (88.3 percent to 91.3 percent) and Hispanic students (from 93.5 percent to 98.7 percent). In 2004, Black Issues in Higher Education ranked the university 29th nationwide in producing African Americans with master’s degrees in education. A&M-Commerce also ranked third among Texas state universities, and first in the A&M System, for the number of initial teaching certificates. Clearly, A&M-Commerce remains one of the major producers of Texas public school teachers, principals and administrators.

A Continued Commitment to Quality Partnerships and Outreach

  • To meet the Closing the Gaps goals for access and participation, A&M-Commerce serves approximately one-third of its student population via outreach initiatives. Delivery modes include off-campus, face to face; two-way interactive video; and Internet-based instruction.
  • A&M-Commerce’s Institutional Plan for Distance Learning has been recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as exemplary and is used as a model by other institutions in the state. In addition, the partnership with Mesquite ISD has received national awards, including recognition as one of three viable university/school partnerships in the United States by the Center for Creative Leadership.
  • A&M-Commerce currently offers courses and degree programs at the following locations:
    • Metroplex Center in Mesquite
    • Universities Center at Dallas
    • Navarro College in Corsicana
    • Dallas Independent School District
    • Rural school districts in Northeast Texas (via two-way interactive video)
    • Collin County Community College
    • Rockwall Independent School District
    • Frisco, Allen and McKinney Independent School Districts
    • Ft. Rucker, Alabama

A&M-Commerce has approval to deliver five degree programs via Internet-based instruction:
Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (2+2 program with community colleges)

  • Master of business administration
  • Master of science in management
  • Master of science in marketing
  • Master of science in industrial technology (safety emphasis)

A&M-Commerce remains committed to quality partnerships that foster student access, participation and success. Therefore, the university strategic plan includes a goal of assessing all external partnerships and alliances on critical effectiveness measures, specific to each partnership, by the end of FY 2006.

Enhanced Academic Experience

Enhancing the academic experience of our students through increased levels of student engagement, student-centered student services, and academic program development and review.

  • Student engagement is an important component of student retention, ultimate graduation and academic success. Following review of the most recent National Survey of Student Success in 2004, the provost required all academic departments to submit and subsequently implement plans to increase student engagement. The university strategic plan also addresses this, stating that all units directly interacting with students will develop plans to enhance student engagement. The strategic plan also includes the goal of an integrated one-stop comprehensive student services complex.
  • Another area of focus is students’ financial preparedness. Financial workshops were given, and more are planned, for middle-school and high school counselors, high school students and parents, and appropriate personnel in area community colleges. The university strategic plan also includes a goal of incorporating a module on college financing and resource management in new student orientation.
  • Plans are also in place for the implementation of phase two (community deployment) of the student one-card system by September 2007, and a banking services agreement is being negotiated in support of student and employee convenience, with implementation planned by September 2007.
  • Academic program development has been a priority for several years. No new degree programs were added during the 13 years prior to the university’s admission to the A&M System in 1996. Since 1999, 18 new degree programs have been added or extensively modified. These new programs are:
  • B.S. environmental science
  • B.A./B.S. sociology (global emphasis)
  • BFA new media
  • BFA art direction
  • BFA design communication
  • B.S. technology management
  • B.A./B.S. athletic training (recently certified)
  • B.S. industrial engineering
  • BAAS (bachelor of applied arts and sciences)
  • B.S. wildlife and conservation science
  • MBA (online)
  • M.S. management
  • M.S. marketing
  • MSW (master of social work)
  • M.S. e-Commerce
  • M.S. finance
  • Ph.D. counseling
  • Ph.D. English

 
  • In addition, a renewed emphasis has been placed on academic program review. A new process of graduate program review is being implemented with two programs currently under review (graduate programs in counseling and the Department of Literature and Languages). Graduate programs scheduled for review in FY 2006 include master’s and doctoral programs in psychology & special education and health & human Performance. A new process of undergraduate program review was introduced in fall 2005.

Culture of Improvement

Commitment to a Culture of Continuing Campus Improvement

  • No new facilities were built in the 23 years prior to entering the A&M System in 1996. Due to financial concerns, deferred maintenance also became an issue.
  • Following entry into the A&M System, A&M-Commerce has been addressing these areas. Progress has been made, with the construction of new apartment-style campus housing, construction of the Morris Recreation Center, renovation of the Temple building, razing of substandard campus housing and addressing the deferred maintenance issues. Currently, this priority area includes the following goals:
  • Completion of the new Science & Technology Building (scheduled for spring 2006).
  • Design completion of the new Student Center by May 2006.
  • Design and construct an alumni center, in cooperation with the Alumni Association, by December 2007.
  • Continue to identify buildings that have exceeded their useful life and remove them from the facility inventory.
  • Maintain the financial commitment to reduce campus deferred maintenance.
  • Complete the campuswide fire and safety upgrades by December 2005.
  • Complete implementation of the Banner student information system by September 2007.

Commentary on Other Topics

Affordability

A&M-Commerce has made a concerted effort to balance the fiscal needs of the institution with the financial situations of our students. Tuition increases have been among the lowest of Texas public institutions of higher education. A&M-Commerce is committed to managing tuition and student fee increases to seek equilibrium between the total cost of attendance and cost of operations. A comparison of tuition and fees with the other 35 state colleges and universities puts A&M-Commerce in the bottom quartile.

Research

A&M-Commerce is committed to supporting and rewarding research and scholarly activity by faculty, administrators and professional staff. While progress has been made in this area, with a 54.3 percent increase in research expenditures from FY 2001 to FY 2003, the amount of research expenditures remains an issue. The university strategic plan addresses this with several goals, including:

  • Increasing the number of faculty and research assistants involved in ongoing basic and applied research.
  • Developing research centers involved in pedagogical research, social problems research, or other areas of research.
  • Increasing faculty awareness of research and its importance so that number of external grants submitted and awarded increase.
  • Increasing the number presentations, publications and other scholarly activity.
  • Continuing workshops begun in FY 2005 on grant writing and securing external research funding.
  • Increase our presence in Washington, D.C., specifically with federal funding agencies.
  • Develop collaborative interdisciplinary research efforts on our campus and with other system universities.
  • Increase internal support for research ideas and ongoing research efforts.

Fund Raising

  • In 2003, A&M-Commerce began phase II of a capital campaign, Securing the Promise, with a total goal of $30 million. To date, approximately $9 million has been raised. Endowment funds also increased by 22.1 percent, from $6.15 million in FY 2001 to $7.51 million in FY 2003. The university advancement office has been reorganized, and a vice president for institutional advancement named.

Fiscal Stability

  • A&M-Commerce’s fiscal stability has continued to improve annually. A key indicator is the university’s available operating reserve. At the end of FY 2004, the reserve stood at $29.4 million, up from a low of $6.7 million in 1996 (339 percent increase). The operating reserve is sufficient to fund approximately four months of university operations.  (NACUBO best practices indicate a six-month operating reserve to be desirable.)
  • During the period 1996-2004, total revenues rose 68 percent, from $38 million to $64 million. This increase in operating revenues was fueled by regular, but conservative, increases in tuition and fees (126 percent increase). During the same period, state appropriations increased at a much slower pace (40 percent increase).
  • In 1996, as a result of uncontrolled expenditures and insufficient revenues, the university was faced with a structural operating deficit. Consequently, current fund operations were funded from operating reserves as revenues were insufficient to fund operations. Under the leadership of Dr. Keith McFarland, this practice was eliminated and the university has prepared balanced budgets annually since the late 1990s. The current funds operating budget currently includes a small contingency fund to offset unforeseen expenditures or reduced revenue streams, further contributing to the growth of the university’s available operating reserve and financial stability.

Operational Efficiencies

  • Administrative costs as a percent of operating budget fell from 11.9 percent in FY 2002 to 10.6 percent in FY 2004. The target for FY 2005 is 10 percent or less, and steps are being taken to achieve this figure. Classroom utilization, a continuing problem resulting from aging buildings on campus, has improved slightly, from 20.5 hours of use per week in fall 2000 to 22.5 hours in fall 2003. The completion of the new Science & Technology Building, along with razing outdated instructional facilities and improved scheduling, are expected to lead to improved classroom and laboratory utilization in FY 2006.