Texas A&M President Michael Young’s annual state of the university address included four key initiatives for the upcoming year.
One is adding 130 faculty, 30 in the short term and 100 in the long term.
Another is increasing student retention and graduation rates.
A third is growing the president’s research excellence fund.
And the fourth is asking the state legislature for money to establish a data science program for the energy industry.
Fun facts from the president included A&M reaching 500,000 former students living in 165 countries around the world by May of 2019. Young says half of the former students graduated since 1997.
The president talked about the circumstances of “birthing” the Aggie War Hymn, which celebrates its centennial later this year.
Young finished his address honoring philosophy professor Dr. John McDermott, who was hailed as one of the world’s most influential philosophers at the time of his passing last weekend after teaching more than 40 years at Texas A&M.
Click HERE to be directed to a video of Michael Young’s State of the University address.
