Distinguished Alumnus weighs in on potential TAMUC name change

Distinguished Alumnus weighs in on potential TAMUC name change Image

• Alton L. Biggs

  Alton L. Biggs

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News Staff Tue, 07/16/2024 - 19:53 Body

Alton L. Biggs of Biggs Educational Consulting and an A&M University-Commerce (formerly East Texas State University) Distinguished Alumnus wrote the following open letter to A&M Chancellor John Sharp regarding a possible name change for Texxas A&M University- Commerce. Dear Chancellor Sharp: On Sunday I returned from the Galapagos Islands where I was leading a group for the Texas Association of Biology Teachers to see a Facebook post in my feed linking to a petition, signed by 6,541 people (65% outside Dallas), decrying the name change of Texas A&M University-Commerce to Texas A&M University-Dallas at Commerce. After careful deliberation, I am taking this opportunity to also express my dismay at the proposal. This university has a history of more than a century and a student base in northeast Texas, serving a high proportion of first- and second- generation students.

I recognize that there have been previous name changes of the University through the years, the last of which was in 1996. That isn’t long ago in its history. However, I think that this particular name change appears primarily motivated by marketing and anticipated financial gains. Count me as one who was opposed when ETSU made its last name change to Texas A&M University-Commerce. Even though not well received, that name change still reflects the university's location in East Texas and honored the original vision for its establishment, while emphasizing that the university had joined the Texas A&M University system. I remember the fallout from the implementation of that decision very well. An entire generation of alumni and donors was angry and many remain so to this day, while others are only now beginning to acclimate to that name change. For obvious reasons, I don’t want that to happen again – to this or any other institution.

I’m of the understanding that the A&M University System conducted a marketing study at its own expense. That study indicated that additional financial and other resources can be had by increasing a presence in the Dallas area, and I suspect that is true. However, the current population in northeast Texas is growing significantly and the current campus in Commerce has its base in this area.

Further, a marketing study is not an impact study in which stakeholder input (from such groups as prospective students, current students, faculty and staff, current alumni, current donors, and the local community) is taken into consideration. Therefore, I call for a delay in the vote for implementation of any name change unless and until such an impact study can be completed.

This is normal procedure for such changes.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board doesn’t support another university in the DFW Metroplex because the area is already overpopulated with higher education programs now. To add another at this junction would only introduce additional chaos to those seeking higher education in this area. Additionally, a presence in Dallas can more easily be strengthened by other means.

Let me briefly state some other reasons for my resistance to the upcoming vote by the Texas A&M University Board of Regents: 1. Texas A&M University- Commerce is the fastest growing university in the A&M System. The school has added more than 5,000 students in the last few years, even after the recent COVID-19 pandemic slowed or even stalled growth in almost every university in the nation. I believe that a name change would slow our growth once again.

2. There are approximately 2,100 students currently taking classes at the A&M University-Commerce campus in Dallas and about 1,500 of those students are bused from Commerce to Dallas, a one-way driving distance of more than 70 miles. This is a strong indication that the decision may very well be uncalled for at this time.

3. Texas A&M University- Commerce has previously made the decision to become a D-1 institution. The momentum toward that goal could very well be stymied at a time when the athletic department has made great strides forward. Recruitment can be expected to be negatively impacted as well.

4. The A&M System is offering no additional funds to make branding changes from the current name to a new one. The costs associated with such changes include stationery, signage and others is not insubstantial – and would come at a time when the University budget is already strained.

5. Probably because of crime and living conditions in urban areas and, for the first time in many years, the national trend – and one shared by schools in Texas – is one of students choosing smaller schools in smaller cities over larger ones. At the very least, this is another reason to put the brakes on any hasty decision-making, especially when no overarching reasons have been promulgated to make a quick and not fully studied change.

6. The University has a large number of foreign students. They have already experienced confusion from the name of the University, thinking that the University is the business college of Texas A&M University (because to them Commerce means business). Some have even appeared on campus in Commerce believing it to be Texas A&M University. The proposed name change could very well disrupt the established brand identity and confuse prospective students even more.

7.As alluded to previously, I believe that there are other means to the end of increasing apresence in Dallas without involving Texas A&M University- Commerce. There are otheroptions geographically – keeping in mind that our university’s campus is at least twocounties and slightly more than a seventy mile one-way driving distance to Dallas – toaccomplish a greater Dallas presence, including acquisition of West Coast UniversityDallas, Paul Quinn College, TWU Dallas, Dallas Baptist University – or even rebrandingsimply rebranding the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas to-Texas A&M Dallas.

For all of these reasons – and more – I’m convinced that the vote for a name change of Texas A&M University- Commerce is illtimed and unnecessary to achieve any stated reasons. I’d be happy to discuss this proposal in more detail and listen to any objections you might have for what appears to be a hasty decision.

I am a first-generation alumnus with two degrees from the University. After a 32-year career as a secondary classroom educator in Texas, a more than 30-year career as a textbook author for McGraw Hill and while still in my third career as an educational consultant, I moved to Commerce with my wife to serve the University in my retirement. (No, I’m not 90+ years old, and most of my working life has been with two or all three of those positions at the same time!) To be completely transparent, I wanted to get out of the “rat race” that I’d experienced since my previous home city had grown from a few thousand people with a 2A school district into a 6A school district and to become an indistinguishable suburb as part of the DFW Metroplex.

I have also supported the University with my time and my treasure, freely giving both. Since 2006, I have served my alma mater in various roles, including serving on committees within the schools of education and science, two long-range planning committees, multi-year chair of the University’s Distinguished Alumni group, as well as multi-terms and now ex officio member of the University’s Foundation Board. My wife and I have established two endowed scholarships (one in art and one in biology) to reflect our desire to help those students who continue to come after us and we continue to donate to various causes such as Bio Pride, an introduction to the biology department before students begin taking their first courses in biology. I can’t help but believe that the proposed change will dilute the institution’s original mission and lead to unnecessary confusion about the campus’s location and identity. I assure you that many alumni are angered by this latest development.

Sincerely, Alton L. Biggs, Biggs Educational Consulting A&M University-Commerce (formerly East Texas State University) Distinguished Alumnus