In his August brief, Texas A&M President Mark Welsh welcomed 78,000 students back to A&M’s campuses and made the student body aware of several new changes that recently have gone into effect.

In terms of budget allocations, Welsh said that the Strategic Budget Council focused on two key factors in this year’s $2.5 billion budget: “Does it help ‘fix the foundation of the university?’” and “Does it enhance the student experience?” 

With that in mind, the university has added a fully funded performance-based merit plan for faculty and staff for the 2025 fiscal year, as well as a minimum wage and minimum salary increase.  

Additionally, the new name changes converting the labeling of several A&M schools into colleges has gone into effect, and the A&M Galveston campus has added a new College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies.

Welsh says university leadership is seeking student input on the draft Research Identity Report, with a deadline of Sept. 3 for responses.

After the departure of Corps of Cadets Commandant Gen. Patrick Michaelis to a new role as Special Assistant to the President, Lt. Gen Lloyd Utterback will serve as interim commandant while a national search is conducted, Welsh said.

Searches for the permanent deans of the College of Architecture, College of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and School of Engineering Medicine will be launching soon while a new Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs will be announced “early this semester” as well, he said.