Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is a state university system in Texas and is one of the state's seven independent university systems.
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the United States, with a budget of $6.3 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities and eight state agencies, and the RELLIS Campus, the Texas A&M System educates more than 153,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $996 million in FY 2017 and helped drive the state's economy.[5]
The system's flagship institution is Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. The letters "A&M" (originally A.M.C. for "agricultural and mechanical college") are retained to honor the university's former designation.
With a direct presence in all 254 Texas counties, A&M System agencies offer research and service to the state's citizens. The agencies focus on addressing and improving the social, economic, educational, health and environmental conditions of Texans.
TDEM is the only state agency under the Texas A&M System not to bear the "Texas A&M" name as it is the most recent to be added to the system,[8] transferred from the Texas Department of Public Safety to TAMUS in 2019.[9]
The System is governed by a nine-member Board of Regents. Each member is appointed by the Governor of Texas for a six-year term and the terms overlap (all terms end on February 1 in odd-numbered years and in those years 1/3 of the regents' terms expire, though a regent can be nominated for another subsequent term).
In addition, a tenth "student regent" (non-voting member) is appointed by the Governor for a one-year term.
The responsibilities of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents are to:
Additionally, the Texas A&M University System is a member of the Alliance for Biosecurity,[10] a public-private coalition that "advocates for public policies and funding to support the rapid development, production, stockpiling, and distribution of critically needed medical countermeasures".[11]