Comments Made About College Station Police By A Member Of The Texas A&M System Board Of Regents Draws Reaction From The Police Chief And A City Councilman

Texas A&M Begins The Process Of Selecting A New Vice President Of Student Affairs

The process is underway at Texas A&M to select a new vice president of student affairs (VPSA). This follows the retirement announcement of Joe Ramirez that is effective January 1, 2025. President Mark Welsh e-mailed employees at the division of student affairs announcing a search committee will be chaired by vice provost Tim Scott. Welsh said he will be meeting with the committee at the end of this week to relay their charge. Welsh also announced appointing an interim VPSA. It is the second time student affairs associate vice president Tom Reber will have that role as part of his 40 year career at A&M. The president’s chief of staff, Susan Ballabina, brought up Reber’s appointment during her monthly visit on WTAW’s The Infomaniacs. Click below to hear comments from Susan Ballabina during her visit with Chelsea Reber (Tom Reber’s daughter) on WTAW’s The Infomaniacs:   Courtesy of Texas A&M, the e-mail sent by president Mark Welsh to employees of the division of student affairs: Division of Student Affairs Employees, Before we head out for the holiday break, I want to share an update on leadership for the Division of Student affairs following the retirement of Brigadier General (Ret.) Joe Ramirez ’79 on Jan. 1, 2025. Tom Reber has agreed to step in as Interim Vice President for Student Affairs while we conduct a national search for a permanent Vice President. With more than 40 years of service at Texas A&M University, including the Department of Recreational Sports and the Vice President’s Office where he currently serves as Executive Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Chief of Staff, Tom possesses a wealth of knowledge about the Division of Student Affairs and he — like so many of you — truly cares about job #1: preparing our students to chase their dreams. I’m grateful for Tom’s leadership during this time of transition. Regarding the national search for a permanent Vice President for Student Affairs, a search committee, chaired by Dr. Tim Scott, has been formed. I’ll meet with the committee at the end of this week to relay their charge and will plan to keep you all updated as the search progresses. Thank you for all you do to contribute to the Aggie student experience each and every day. Our 80,000-student body is in good hands thanks to your tireless efforts. Thanks and Gig ’em!

Texas A&M University Update on WTAW

Dr. Susan Ballabina, Texas A&M President Mark Welsh’s Chief of Staff, visits with WTAW’s Chelsea Reber about the university’s new designation, the appointment of an interim Vice President of Student Affairs, a review of President Welsh’s first year, a new podcast, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. Listen to “Texas A&M University Update on The Infomaniacs” on Spreaker.

Texas A&M’s President Asked About Multiple Subjects By Faculty Senate Members

Texas A&M’s president is asked about multiple subjects when he spoke at December’s faculty senate meeting. Mark Welsh said “difficult conversations” are ahead regarding budget and capacity problems in an effort to manage 80,000 students in a way “that feels comfortable”. Welsh says they “have to get right”, the university’s facilities and infrastructure, before adding more undergraduate students. Welsh says academic deans who want to start a new undergraduate program will have to decide where to downsize. And he added that faculty members have to be a part of that conversation. Program cuts do not apply to adding the number of graduate and online students. Welsh announced that an outside consultant starts work in January to review A&M’s more than 270 facilities. That was in response to a faculty member’s complaints that the university is not addressing building repairs and basic necessities of students and employees. Welsh also said he would be sending faculty members, a list of projects that will be done in the next five years on the flagship campus that are funded by the system. That was in response to a faculty member who asked why the system is spending millions on the RELLIS campus, which is controlled by the system. Another faculty member who questioned why “the administration had not stepped forward to reassure us of their commitment to LGBTQ students and their education, or to LGBTQ faculty and their teaching and research on controversial subjects.” Welsh said “I’ve probably said this 50 times publicly. All of them should be treated with respect. All of them should be included. All of them should have a voice, and should feel comfortable using it. All of them should feel like an incredibly valuable and critically important pieces of what we’re trying to accomplish here.” This subject came up after a faculty member reported a student was chased by other students who were yelling LGBTQ students. Welsh says university police will reach out to the faculty member who sent him an e-mail about the incident to get more information. Welsh was also asked about the university’s response to executive orders from the governor against the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist party. Welsh says lawyers at the A&M system want members to send them questions on how the orders could affect students and employees. He also said any decision whether to push back on the executive orders would come from the system chancellor. Click below to hear comments from Mark Welsh during the December 9, 2024 Texas A&M faculty senate meeting. Listen to “Texas A&M’s president asked about multiple subjects by faculty senate members” on Spreaker.