Texas A&M University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Proposed Name Change

Recent events have come about that involve a proposed name change to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (C.O.A.L.S.) at Texas A&M University. The future name would be the College of Agrilife Sciences. Administrators within the college hired a marketing firm to help change the college’s image and improve recruiting. According to the marketing firm, agriculture is an “antiquated” term and not appealing to students or the general public. And not only would the college’s name change, but the extension service and experiment station’s titles as well. All of this was approved without the notice or consent of the student body.

If this measure goes through, we will see the further erosion of traditions at Texas A&M. This fine university was established as a land grant institution with an emphasis placed on Agriculture, not Agrilife. This new term “Agrilife” is intended to show people that are not in the agriculture field, that we are apart of life, which is very true. However, you have to wonder if a name change will make anyone think differently about agriculture in general?

We as agriculture students and/or professionals must do what we can to not only provide for the general public but also educate them about agriculture. Now, I know that Vice Chancellor Dr. Elsa Murano and the other heads of C.O.A.L.S. want the best for our college, but a name change would only detract from our origin as a university and maybe even tarnish the reputation of the college in the eyes of some. We are not opposed to a new marketing plan that will help the college, only the proposed name change. As the college’s website states “Texas A&M Agriculture…We are the "A" in Texas A&M.”

With this being the case, I have created a group on Facebook.com (a collegiate networking website), which currently has over 900 students that are against the name change. Many of these students have begun sending letters and emails to the board of regents and President Gates, who will vote on the name change at its last meeting on November 30 and December 1. However, we need all former students, agriculture majors or not, to help send more emails and letters to all the regents and Dr. Gates, to let them know that we are against the proposed name change.

We need everyone’s help to keep not only Agriculture, but also all traditions alive and well at Texas A&M University.

Texas A&M Board of Regents

Mr. John D. White ’70 of Houston ~ Chairman

Mr. Bill Jones ’81 of Austin ~ Vice Chairman

Mrs. Ida Clement Steen of San Antonio

Dr. Wendy Gramm of Helotes

Mr. Phillip "Phil" Adams '70 of Bryan/College Station

Mr. Gene Stallings ’57 of Powderly

Mr. Lupe Fraga ’57 of Houston

Mr. Lowry Mays ’57 of San Antonio

Mr. Erle Nye ’59 of Dallas

Mr. Tyson Voelkel ’96 of Brenham ~ Student Regent
Email ~ Student-Regent@tamu.edu

Email ~ vickie@tamu.edu (Executive Secretary to the Board) for all Regents

Mailing Address
P.O. Box C-1
College Station, TX 77844-9021
Campus Mail Stop: 1123

Dr. Robert Gates

Email ~ president@tamu.edu

Mailing Address
Office of the President
Texas A&M University
Mail Stop 1246 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843



“The pursuits of agriculture are the surest road to affluence and best preservative of morals.”
Thomas Jefferson