Student Affairs

Accomplishments (Summer 2000 to Summer 2006)

Student Affairs

  1. Reorganized Office of the Dean of Students, Student Union & Activities, Campus Housing, Recreational Sports, Career Services, and Life Services & Wellness.
  2. TAMUK now has National prominence and perceived regional strength. Strong presence in system symposiums and statewide conferences.
  3. Have at least three TAMUK graduates now in the student affairs profession working throughout Texas or completing masters degrees.
  4. Education is strongly stressed in Student Affairs. Many staff have completed baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees.
  5. Continuing a culture change within the division, shifting from a task-oriented division to a relationship-oriented division.
  6. Established core values and revised vision, mission, goals, and the strategic plan.
  7. Promoted staff involvement in professional associations. Dozens of presentations have occurred by division personnel.
  8. Established the Student Affairs Student Advisory Council listserv.
  9. Successfully completed the installation of the holiday lights tradition and ceremony.
  10. Added counselors to assist with student's mental health.
  11. Increased the staff salaries to meet or exceed comparable average of comparable positions at the supervisor and above level.
  12. Improved administration/student government relations since 2000.
  13. "Students First" mentality.
  14. Cultivating future alumni. Creating a positive campus experience.
  15. Sent Academic Deans to Freshmen Year Experience conference with student affairs senior staff.
  16. Technology campus leader (palm pilots bought, cutting edge hardware and software).
  17. Compliant with the Council for the Accreditation of Standards (CAS), as demonstrated in department program reviews.
  18. Have maintained longstanding partnerships with Sodexho (since 1984) and Barnes & Noble (since 1987).

Student Development

  1. Monica Rudzik, former director of the student union & activities, selected NASPA Region III Mid-level Practitioner of the Year in 2003. She is now the Director at the University of Connecticut and has been succeeded by Nino Mendietta.
  2. Nino Mendietta, former associate director of the student union, selected NACA outstanding service award in 2004.
  3. Successfully brought privatized housing, providing 360 beds in luxury apartments to TAMUK students and 12 million to the local economy. Assisted Collegiate Development Services, a national company and university partner, with their national advertising campaign promoting alternative methods to student housing.
  4. Established campus shuttle program.
  5. Created a front desk in Union and established student center managers as a leadership opportunity.
  6. Initiated the Copy Center.
  7. Completed the Javelina Card RFP, bringing a high-tech one-card to campus.
  8. Reorganized how SOFC funding is provided to student organizations within SGA.
  9. Strengthen awareness week/month programming, connecting the programs to citizens within the local community.
  10. Installed lighting on the intramural fields.
  11. TAMUK Cheerleaders placed in the top four nationally twice since 2000.
  12. Established long-term capital plan for the Student Union. Currently developing a capital plan for housing.
  13. Completed honor code. Implementing Spring 2007.
  14. Residence Hall Association students chosen as the "Best Small School Delegation" at the 2003 Southwest Association of College and University Housing Officers.
  15. Successfully completed five student referendums including increasing student fees and the student service fee cap, international student fee, Student Union fee, and Student Recreation fee.
  16. Completed the collaborative project, funded by Sodexho, to establish new dining facilities on the SUB first floor and to renovate the game room resulting in increased student participation.
  17. Reorganized the first floor of the SUB changing it from offices to a retail zone.
  18. Completed the renovation of the SUB Courtyard.
  19. Resident Assistants participated with Kingsville area Foster child program and provided assistance with gifts and taking children to special events. The RA also encouraged residents to participate with this project.
  20. Completed the renovation of the SUB Café.
  21. Revised Union policies.
  22. Eliminated the bats in Union.
  23. Added fire safety systems to the residence halls.
  24. Established a four-day new student orientation program called "Javelina Welcome."
  25. Revised Hoggie Days Summer Student Orientation.
  26. Through Student Activities, national artists and entertainers now frequently visit campus improving the type of programs and activities available to students outside of the classroom.
  27. The leadership program within Student Activities has developed three new leadership programs - the Women's Leadership Institute, Freshmen Year Academy, and Jave-Leader Program. These programs improve and enhance the skills of our students and prepare them for leadership roles on campus and in the workplace.
  28. The Greek Life system since 2000 has grown from four chapters to ten chapters. These fraternities and sororities are more visible on campus and play a significant role in student retention and campus culture. Just recently, two national Sororities, two historically Hispanic organizations, and two historically African-American organizations have affiliated to A&M-Kingsville.
  29. Completed door access project using the one-card system in the residence halls.
  30. Improved the ring ceremony growing the ceremony from 50 participants and family members to nearly 500 semesterly.
  31. Improved the Who's Who ceremony increasing student and family participation to nearly 500 annually.
  32. Completed new bookstore contract and renovation.
  33. Completed new Sodexho contract.
  34. Completed cable TV contract.
  35. Completed new laundry contract.
  36. Stabilized revenue needs of auxiliary areas.
  37. Eliminated smoking in the residence halls.
  38. Implemented campuswide calendar of events.
  39. Established student recognition ceremony.

Federal Grants

  1. One of TAMUK's top five leaders in securing federal and local grants.
  2. Engaged students in research through McNair.
  3. Collaborated with the College of Graduate Studies to annually assist with the system-wide Pathways conference promoting student research.
  4. Since 2000, brought in six grants and over 11.5 million in federal grants.
  5. Renewed TRIO grants (CAMP, McNair, UBMS, EOC, and Talent Search).

Enrollment

  1. Revised admission requirements and made the Recommended H.S. curriculum requirement as the default admissions criteria.
  2. The Registrar's Office has audited more than 8,000 transcripts.
  3. Outstanding relationships through Financial Aid with lenders and guarantors.
  4. Reduced default rate from 21% to 8%.
  5. Developed collaborative agreement between Coastal Bend College and A&M-Kingsville for CBC to deliver developmental education courses to students on the A&M-Kingsville campus, commencing fall 2004, a.k.a., Project I can (PIC).
  6. Developed Dual Enrollment agreements with Santa Gertrudis Independent School District, Kingsville Independent School District, Orange Grove Independent School District, and Three Rivers Independent School District. Dual Enrollment courses were taught to Academy and H.M. King high schools this fall. Plans are to deliver dual enrollment classes to Orange Grove and Three Rivers high schools spring 2005.
  7. In agreement with Del Mar College, A&M-Kingsville's College of Engineering will continue to teach lower level freshman and junior level courses in engineering to Del Mar sophomores, spring 2004.
  8. Similar agreements have been made with Southwest Texas Junior College, San Antonio College, and Palo Alto College. Courses in Human Sciences and engineering will be taught at SWTJC, but only engineering courses at Palo Alto College.
  9. Similar agreements have been made with Coastal Bend College-Beeville, to teach an agriculture (Beef Management), junior level class on that campus.
  10. Students can accept financial aid awards online.
  11. Completed more articulation agreements.
  12. Instituted Tele-counseling Office using students in the department of Outreach and Enrollment Support Services.
  13. Received $15,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to establish GO Centers in our area. A&M-Kingsville staffs GO Centers in Alice, Robstown, H.M. King, and Moody High schools.
  14. As part of the GO Campaign, A&M-Kingsville was selected to manage a GO Theater Team to promote higher education to area schools. The theater group consists of Academy High School and University students and is under the auspices of Outreach and Enrollment Support Services (Mr. Miguel Briseno). The Team is trained by Dr. David Deacon. This year the Team provided performances to more than 550 high school students in the area.
  15. Spearheaded the CONACyT recruitment initiative with Mexico. Results indicate that this activity, along with other activities in Mexico, has improved TAMUK enrollment from Mexico: 32 in fall 2003 to 64 in fall 2004.
  16. With Special Programs, brought ProjectGRAD-Houston to campus (54 students from five different high schools in Houston converged on the TAMUK campus in June 2004 for two weeks).
  17. In collaboration with Special Programs secured ProjectGRAD-Brownsville bringing 100 students from Brownsville to campus for summer 2005.
  18. Initiated steps for the University to develop and deliver online degrees in the near future. Scheduled for fall 2006 is the first online masters degree in Instructional Technology through the College of Education. A master plan for online degrees is in the process of being developed by the Office of Enrollment Management and the Office of Distance Education.
  19. Through Dr. Maggie Williams' leadership, Banner is in the process of being implemented. The Offices of Domestic and International Admissions as well as the Office of Outreach and Enrollment Support Services are entering data using Banner for fall 2005. Office of Financial Aid went "live" early in spring 2005 and are awarding aid via Banner for fall 2005.
  20. Assisted the Dean of the Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy with the development and adoption of its admissions application. Continuing to help in the procurement of more applications to the Pharmacy College.

     

This page last updated 7 August, 2006