Texas A&M International University


Texas A&M International University is a public university in Laredo, Texas. It is part of the Texas A&M University System and home to over 7500 students each academic semester. TAMIU offers over 70 undergraduate and degrees in four colleges.

History

Texas A&M International University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees through four colleges. They include:
According to U.S. News & World Report in “2015 Best College Rankings” TAMIU has been moved up and ranked No. 20 in Top Public Regional Universities, West, and in 2014 TAMIU's rank was 35th.
In 2015, The Economist Magazine's "List of America's Best Colleges" ranked TAMIU ninth in the nation, ahead of all other schools in Texas.
In 2013, the National Council on Teacher Quality, based in Washington, D.C., ranked TAMIU subpar in the matriculation of its education majors, of which there were some seven hundred graduates between 2009 and 2012. The institution received 2.5 on an 8.0 ranking system, or 1.5 for its elementary program and 1.0 for the secondary studies. TAMIU provides the majority of public school teachers to the two systems in Webb County. The programs were evaluated based on rigor, selectivity, and the level of mentorship provided to prospective educators.
TAMIU officials questioned the motive, methodology, and results of the study. University officials released a statement: "TAMIU joins other teacher-training programs from colleges of education across the nation in challenging the accuracy of NCTQ results that incorporate inaccurate data and inherently flawed research methodology." The NCTQ was founded in 2000 by the conservative think tank, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. TAMIU suggested that the NCTQ favors the dismantling of university teacher education programs with "bargain-basement on-line programs, some of which are directed by NCTQ surrogates." TAMIU questioned why no NCTQ researcher visited the campus but instead based its evaluation on information sent primarily to the Washington office via emails.
The TAMIU program was placed on probation in February 2013 by the Texas Board of Educator Certification. Though 70 percent of the TAMIU education graduates passed the certification examination, state accountability standards require an 80 percent completion rate to avoid the probationary status. TAMIU President Ray Keck noted that Texas Tech, Rutgers, Syracuse, and Stanford universities all fared poorly in the NCTQ study as well and asked, "Do you honestly believe those universities run slipshod programs in education?" In July 2014, the University was notified by the State Board for Educator Certification that its full accreditation status had been restored.
In 2014, the College Affordability and Transparency Center, a project of the U.S. Department of Education, ranked the university sixth in the nation for lowest net price among public four-year universities.

Research

TAMIU is home to various research centers, including the Binational Center, Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade, The Western Hemispheric Trade Information Center, the Texas Center for Border Economics and Enterprise Development, the Small Business Development Center and the Center for Earth and Environmental Studies.

Benefactors

One of the institution's largest private benefactors was Radcliffe Killam, a Laredo oilman who donated $2 million to establish The Center for Western Hemispheric Trade, in addition to the University's campus land. Killam and his wife, the former Sue Spivey, were honored by TAMIU with honorary doctorates and the naming of the Radcliffe and Sue Killam Library.

Athletics

TAMIU's 11 sports teams are known as the Dustdevils and compete in the Lone Star Conference. They became active members of NCAA Division II on September 1, 2008. As an active member, TAMIU is eligible for conference championships and NCAA tournament berths.
TAMIU participates in the following sports:
In August, 2014, the Dustdevil Athletics Department launched a new team logo and marks for the NCAA Division II programs.

Notable alumni