06-08-21 Undergraduate Experience

August 21, 2006

Dear Friends:

 Greetings from Texas A&M University and the College of Liberal Arts.  I write this letter as we near the end of our orientation sessions for incoming freshmen enrolling to start classes this Fall Semester.  We are estimating that there will be 7500 new freshmen coming to Texas A&M this fall.  About 12% of those in-coming students will be Liberal Arts majors, and many more students will change their curriculum to Liberal Arts in the next few years – especially students who are undecided about their major and enter the university’s General Studies program. 

 The most recent university statistics show that from the Fall 1999 entering class of 6695 students, 77% or 5157 students graduated in 6 years.  Among these graduates, 1276, or 25%, graduated from the College of Liberal Arts.  The number of graduates from Liberal Arts vastly exceeded the original number of declared Liberal Arts majors – 695 entering students in Fall 1999.  Liberal Arts is a popular major for many students as they enter Texas A&M, and many more students are drawn to our programs after they arrive on campus.

 Focusing for a moment on these 695 students who originally enrolled in liberal arts, 63% graduated with liberal arts majors (15% changed majors to and graduated from another college within the university). This graduation rate is higher than average at Texas A&M – the median graduation rate for students from their original college is 56%.  Nevertheless, the College’s graduation rates need to be better.

 How do you ensure that more students entering college leave with a college degree?  An easy answer is that colleges could lower their standards – an option that no one has proposed or that would receive serious consideration.  Rather, there is an emerging body of research showing that graduation rates are higher when schools engage students academically during their first year on campus and continue to provide innovative learning opportunities throughout their undergraduate experience.  Ultimately, of course, students must take responsibility for their own performance and progress toward a degree, but systemic research shows that universities can take specific actions creating a culture or an environment leading to student success.

 I have enclosed a one page listing of a few of our College-wide initiatives to engage students in the kind of academic experiences that make a difference.  These experiences offer opportunities for students to meet faculty, talk about ideas, experience new perspectives, and challenge themselves by confronting new cultures.  Students who make something special of every semester at Texas A&M are more likely to leave with a degree in hand.  But more importantly, they will leave with a host of educational experiences that will serve them exceedingly well for the rest of their life. 

 Within the College, we’ve seen firsthand how students can respond with they connect with a particular learning opportunity.  This past spring a junior political science major interested in the former Soviet Union took “Politics of Ukraine” in abstentia. He was working in a U.S. State Department internship observing parliamentary elections in the Ukraine. There are other examples as well.  An anthropology student who studied abroad in Mexico returned to conduct independent research on Mexican migration to the U.S then followed that up by writing an Honors thesis on his research.  An English major became so interested in her Advanced Composition assignment on the sinking of the USS Indianapolis that she organized a university-wide program on the topic. Finally, there is the sociology major whose work with a professor on a National Science Foundation research project led to an internship with the FBI.

 We are working to offer every student in the College the opportunity for experiences such as these.  Many former students and friends of the College have contributed to our efforts to enhance academic experiences for students by supporting scholarships and internships.  These good friends have also mentored students personally with campus visits and by welcoming students into their homes and businesses.  Especially to these committed individuals, thanks for all that you continue to do.  You are making a difference.

 Best wishes for the remainder of the summer.  If you find yourself on campus in the coming academic year, please let me know so that we can visit for a while.

 Sincerely,

Charles A. Johnson

Dean