Texas A&M University – Kingsville (TAMUK) had an exciting school year full of developments. Students can now text 9-1-1, a new music building is being constructed, and the College of Business earned an accreditation that put it in the top five percent of business schools nationwide.
TAMUK had an odd start to the 2017-18 school year with the school shutting down because of Hurricane Harvey.
Some students did not idly sit by during the unscheduled break.
TAMUK Greek life and Wildlife Society Club all provided assistance to those affected by the hurricane.
It was announced via mass email on Sept. 29, 2017 that Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Heidi Anderson stepped down from her post.
Anderson was not the only administrator that would be stepping down.
On April 16, TAMUK President Dr. Steven Tallant announced he would retire effective December 2018 via email.
“I really love it here. I love this campus. It’s been the best 10 years of my life as a professional and walking away and retiring is very difficult,” Tallant said.
TAMUK joined the Digital Fellows Program whose mission states, “The project will provide a unique professional opportunity for 30 provosts that focuses on the adoption and deployment of course-ware and digital learning resources…”
Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and Campus Recreation David Gines alleged dissemination of false information on Frank Russell, communications major at TAMUK.
Beach volleyball earned its first national championship in Javelina history.
“I’m still in disbelief,” Madison Sims, one of the first recruits at TAMUK for beach volleyball said. “For the school, I look around and see all these pictures and I see all the trophies, and I’m like man, this is so awesome. People love this university, and it’s great that we get to put our piece of history into it now.”
In other sports news the Lady Javelina Softball team qualified for playoffs for the first time since 2010.
“I’m so happy, excited and a little nervous. It’s all very overwhelming due to the fact that no one on this team has made the playoffs before,” Senior Outfielder Haley Boyett said.
TAMUK Unity hosted its second Pride Festival on April 20 where students marched for LGTBQ rights.
“Our goal is just to advocate and provide a safe place, that’s just our mission and so with that we want to improve… it’s nice to have students come out and know that there is a place for them,” TAMUK Unity President Trisha Garcia said.
TAMUK saw a 7.8 percent drop in enrollment in the Fall 2017 semester.
One of the big causes of the trend is the way the political climate under the Trump administration has deterred potential international students from enrolling.
“Our international students are afraid to come to America,” Tallant said. “They’re afraid that if they come and have to go back home, they won’t be able to get back in [the U.S.]. They’re afraid that if they come and get a degree, they won’t be able to stay and work.”
In Fall 2017 the housing rates for students on campus got locked in as long as they continue to live on campus.
In Spring 2018 the University Police Department relocated to Lewis Hall.
An African-American Read-in was held on Feb. 13 at the pavilion.
However, it was the only event planned for Black History Month on campus, which angered some students.
Plaserae “Plazz” Johnson became the first female sports editor for The South Texan, TAMUK’s school newspaper.
“Media has traditionlaly been a male-dominated industry; particularly in the area of sports. Considering it took 93 years for The South Texan to have a woman Sports Editor is proof of such. Plazz proved herself more than capable of handling the responsibilities of serving as Sports Editor,” Adviser for The South Texan Nicole Perez Morris said. “She has exceeded my expectations.”