The Faculty of Texas A&M University are concerned that the operations
and values of our university are misunderstood by the public
and by the legislators who respond to the public will. This misunderstanding
is driving questions about the essential character of the university.
Here we offer answers to the questions we are most frequently
asked about how the university works and why it works that way. We
hope that you, the reader of these answers, will at least
come away with the realization that we stand poised and eager to carry on a
dialogue with the people of Texas about the quality of higher education in
the State of Texas and especially at Texas A&M University.
Another thing we hope you will get from our papers is an
understanding of the need for tenure. That need is driven by our
creative activity. Creativity is risky,
and sometimes it is controversial; the public's need for the results
of creative studies is
one of the justifications of the practice of tenuring
those who do the studies.
We also hope you come away with the understanding that
the faculty of the university are serious-minded and able people who
care about their students, their research, and their service to their
professional, university, state, and national communities.
These papers are the work of a very large number of people, as listed
below. The amount of work done by an individual is not related to the
number of committees that individual may have been on. Rather, all
of the people listed spent many hours producing the answers you have
before you.
Organizer:
Arthur M. Hobbs (Mathematics)
Initiating Committee:
The Legislative Affairs Sub-Committee of
The Planning Committee of the Faculty Senate
Thomas R. Lalk (Mechanical Engineering) (CHAIR)
Arthur M. Hobbs (Mathematics)
Michael S. Poole (Speech Communication)
John Slattery (Chemical Engineering)
Planning Committee of the Faculty Senate (1995-96):
Ted F. Anthony (Business Analysis)
Christopher A. Bailey (Poultry Science)
Charlie G. Coble (Agriculture)
Ronald Darby (Chemical Engineering)
Gary L. Gilmore (Health & Kinesiology)
Arthur M. Hobbs (Mathematics) (Vice-Chair)
Thomas R. Lalk (Mechanical Engineering) (CHAIR)
Howard Marchitello (English)
Peter M. McIntyre (Physics)
Leila Payne (Library)
John B. Penson (Agricultural Economics)
Thomas V. Peterson (Medical Physiology)
Robert K. Popp (Geology)
Raymond D. Reed (Architecture)
Harry J. Shafer (Anthropology)
Karan L. Watson (College of Engineering)
Bryan T. Woods (Medicine)
Ad Hoc Committee on Philosophy:
Gaile Cannella (Curriculum & Instruction)
Doug Hensley (Mathematics)
Peter Hugill (Geography) (CHAIR)
Alvin Larke (Agriculture)
Paul Parrish (English)
James R. Wild (Bio/Bio)
Ad Hoc Committee on Faculty Issues:
Dennis Berthold (English) (CHAIR)
Stan Carpenter (Education)
Tom McKittrick (Architecture)
Bill Perry (Associate Provost and Dean of Faculties)
John Stansell (Curriculum & Instruction)
Ad Hoc Committee on Research:
Robert Kennedy (VP Research)
Peter McIntyre (Physics)
Jim Rosenheim (History)
Joe Templeton (Veterinary Medicine - Pathobiology)
Paul Wellman (Psychology) (CHAIR)
Ad Hoc Committee on Graduate Students:
Caesar Malave (Industrial Engineering)
Dan Robertson (Director, Office of Graduate Studies)
Martha Scott (Oceanography) (CHAIR)
Ward Wells (Architecture)
Ad Hoc Committee on Student Issues:
Mary Broussard (Assoc. Provost, Undergraduate Studies)
Gary Engelgau (Admissions and Records)
Kate Kelly (English) (CHAIR)
Karen Kubena (Animal Science)
Dan MacGilvray (Architecture)
Mike Manson (Biology)
Wm. Alex McIntosh (Sociology)
Murray Milford (Soil & Crop Sci.)
Ad Hoc Committee on Money:
Rick Carlson (Geology & Geophyics)
Jim Flagg (Accounting)
William Krumm (Finance)
Joe Natowitz (Cyclotron Institute)
Win Shearon (Accounting)
Walter Wendler (Architecture) (CHAIR)
The Senate Executive Committee (1996-97):
Stephen Oberhelman (Modern Languages) (SPEAKER)
Robert S. Bednarz (Geography)
Pierce E. Cantrell (Electrical Engineering) (EX OFFICIO)
Arthur M. Hobbs (Mathematics)
Diane S. Kaplan (Educational Curriculum and Instruction)
Thomas L. McKittrick (Architecture)
Ronald J. Newton (Forest Science)
Larry J. Oliver (English) (DEPUTY SPEAKER)
Karan L. Watson (Engineering) (SECRETARY)
Mark H. Weichold (Electrical Engineering)
The Senate Executive Committee (1997-98):
Wayne E. Wylie (SPEAKER)
Robert S. Bednarz (Geography)
Frederick O. Boadu (Agricultural Economics)
Arthur M. Hobbs (Mathematics)
Diane S. Kaplan (Educational Curriculum and Instruction)
Thomas L. McKittrick (Architecture) (SECRETARY)
John W. Nielsen-Gammon (Meteorology) (DEPUTY SPEAKER)
Stephen Oberhelman (Modern Languages) (EX OFFICIO)
Larry J. Oliver (English)
Philip B. Yasskin (Mathematics)
Rewrite Committee:
Arthur M. Hobbs (Mathematics) (CHAIR)
Peter Hugill (Geography)
Mike Manson (Biology)
Jane Maxwell (University Relations)
Mary Jo Powell (Associate Director, University Relations)
Martha Scott (Oceanography)
John Stansell (Curriculum & Instruction)
Paul Wellman (Psychology)
Walter Wendler (Architecture) (CHAIR)
Student Reader:
P. J. Barnes
List of Outside Readers:
Virginia Abbott (Caldwell, TX)
Larry and Mary Ann Bernhard (Houston, TX)
Jerrold W. Grossman (Oakland University)
Louis Hudson (Bryan, TX)
JoAnn Johnson (Bryan, TX)
Sam Nadler (University of West Virginia)