News from The Association
Bill Jones ’81 Elected Chairman of Board of Regents
Bill Jones ’81 of Austin was elected chairman of The Texas A&M University System Board
of Regents, and John D. White ’70 of Houston was elected vice chairman, both unanimously,
during a meeting of the governing board Thursday. Since 2005, Jones has served as vice
chairman of the board. He will now serve a two-year term as chairman. Also since 2005,
White has served as chairman of the board, and he will now serve a two-year term as vice
chairman.
Jones, a native of Caldwell, is a 1981 business management graduate of Texas A&M
University and a 1985 graduate of Baylor University Law School. He is a partner in the
law firm of Vinson & Elkins LLP in Austin, and he previously served as the general counsel
to Governor Rick Perry. White, a fifth-generation Texas rancher and a second-generation
Aggie, received a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Texas A&M University
in 1970 and his law degree from the University of Texas. Both Jones and White formerly
served on the board of directors of the Association of Former Students.
Coach’s Tour Concludes This Month
After an exciting summer that featured stops all across Texas, the 2007 Coach’s Tour
wraps up this month with appearances in Fort Worth on July 29 and in Dallas on July 30.
The Fort Worth event is sold out, but tickets are still available for the Dallas Coach’s
Night and all Aggies are welcome. Not only will Texas A&M Head Football Coach Dennis
Franchione be on hand to give the ultimate insider's perspective on the 2007 Aggie football
team, but the event promises unique opportunities for scholarship fundraising and Aggie
camaraderie. For more information on the 2007 Coach’s Tour, go to
http://www.AggieNetwork.com/events/coachstour.aspx?rt=u.
Fall Reunions Bring Classmates Together
One thing that sets Texas A&M apart from many other schools is the camaraderie that
is shared throughout the Aggie Network. An excellent way to take part in that camaraderie
is by attending our Class Reunions. If you are wondering when your Class will have
its next Reunion, it may be sooner than you think. Go to
www.AggieNetwork.com/Reunions to see what Reunions are being held this fall.
For additional information, email Class@AggieNetwork.com
or call our former student programs staff at (979) 845-7514.
Renew Century Club Memberships Today
As the days of summer fly by, it’s surprising to realize that the year is already
more than halfway over. As 2007 continues to roll along, we urge you to keep our
Annual Fund in mind. Don't miss an opportunity to support Texas A&M by waiting for
a letter to come in the mail telling you that your Century Club membership has lapsed—renew
today! If you are not currently an active Century Club member, you can join online
at
www.AggieNetwork.com/GiveBack or by calling our Annual Giving staff at (979)
845-7514.
Join the Traveling Aggies on an Upcoming Trip
Join the Traveling Aggies on their many journeys around the world, including the
following.
Antarctica Expedition; Feb. 13–27, 2008
Take this extraordinary expedition to the "White Continent" aboard the 96-guest
Polar Star and enjoy all that this amazing land has to offer.
Panama Canal Discovery Cruise; Jan. 12–28, 2008
Join us on an unforgettable journey through the storied Panama Canal, with stops in Costa Rica, Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas, among others. Book by Aug. 15 and receive free round-trip, coach-class airfare.
Cruise the Treasures of Italy; May 24–June 5, 2008
Sail aboard the luxurious Oceania M.S. Insignia and visit ports of call to Venice, Sicily, Florence and Rome, among others. Book by Aug. 28 and receive free air.
For more information on these trips and others, contact the Traveling Aggies at
(800) 392-2096 or (979) 845-7514. Also, visit www.AggieNetwork.com/TravelingAggies to read about upcoming
trips, see pictures from previous trips and meet our dedicated staff.
News from Texas A&M University
State Legislature Increases Texas A&M Funding
As the Texas Legislature closed its 80th biennial Legislative Session, Texas A&M
witnessed an 11.6 percent increase in the amount of money it was appropriated. The
significant raise in funding will be applied over two years, starting in 2008, and
was driven by the school’s flat-rate tuition policy, enrollment growth and other
contributing factors. With this funding, Texas A&M will be enabled to support the
ongoing faculty reinvestment program as well as keep the cost of tuition down, among
other things. For more on this story, go to The Batt.
Borlaug Receives Congressional Gold Medal
Dr. Norman Borlaug, a distinguished professor of soil and crop sciences at Texas
A&M, was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal on July 17 in Washington, D.C.
Borlaug is internationally known for developing high-yield wheat varieties that
have been instrumental in feeding millions of starving people over many years. For
his efforts, Borlaug has also been honored with the Nobel Peace Prize and National
Medal of Science. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian award given
by the legislative branch of government and has been presented to such individuals
as George Washington, Thomas Edison and Martin Luther King, Jr. To read a transcript
of President George W. Bush honoring Borlaug at the award ceremony, go to
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070717-1.html.
Freshman Convocation Welcomes New Students
Freshman Convocation, the official beginning of a new student’s entry into Texas
A&M University, will be held on Sunday, Aug. 26, at 2:30 p.m. in Reed Arena. All
freshmen and family members are invited to attend as Texas A&M welcomes the Class
of 2011. In addition, a lunch will be held in Duncan Dining Hall prior to the ceremony,
offering new students a chance to mingle with university representatives. Tickets
for the lunch are $8 and are available ahead of time through the box office at the
Zone and at the Reed Arena Box Office on the day of the event. For information,
go to
http://www.tamu.edu/freshmanconvocation/index.html.
First Yell Takes Place Aug. 31-Sept. 1
The ninth annual First Yell will be held Aug. 31-Sept. 1 in conjunction with the
Texas A&M football game against Montana State. The featured event of the weekend
will be a performance by comedians Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood on Friday, Aug.
31, in Reed Arena. Mochrie and Sherwood are best known for their work on ABC's improvisational
comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway? and are touring in their critically acclaimed,
two-man improve show, An Evening with Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood.
They will
headline the show, which in the past has featured such guests as Bill Cosby, Jeff
Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Wayne Brady. As has been done in previous years by such
acts as the Singing Cadets, Aggie Wranglers, Freudian Slip and Percussion Studio,
First Yell 2007 will again open with performances by students at Texas A&M. For
more information, go to
http://yell.tamu.edu.
Division of Finance Makes Every Dollar Count
What do the New York Mercantile Exchange, organic produce and a giant online auction
of surplus equipment have in common? They’re all part of an eye-opening approach
by the Division of Finance to cut costs and add to the student experience at Texas
A&M. K. Sue Redman ′80, senior vice president and chief financial officer for the
university, has set an ambitious goal for the division’s operations. “Quite simply,
we want to be the benchmark by which others are judged. Every dollar we save results
in less tuition for our students.” For the full story, go to
http://dmc-news.tamu.edu/templates/?a=4786&z=15.
Aggie Calendar
July 29: Fort Worth/Tarrant County A&M Club Coach’s Night
Billy Bob’s Texas, 5 p.m.
http://tarrantcountyaggies.org
July 30: Dallas A&M Club Coach's Night
Tower Building-Fair Park, 6 p.m.
http://www.dallasags.org
Aug. 8: Aggie Night at Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park, 7:05 p.m.
Howdy Club
Aug. 10-11: Texas A&M Commencement Ceremonies
Reed Arena
http://graduation.tamu.edu
Aug. 21: Hot Diggity Dog
Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center, 6-8 p.m.
http://www.aggienetwork.com/events/hotdiggitydog.aspx
Aug. 27: First day of fall classes
Texas A&M University
www.tamu.edu
University Links
Subscription Information
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