Enrollment leaps
It’s official: 8,022 students are attending A&M-Commerce,
a 7.2 percent increase over last fall’s enrollment—and
alumni are being credited for their part in the jump. The total
represents a preliminary figure.
“We’re elated that enrollment has reached an eight-year
high,” said Jack Gray, vice president of marketing and resource
development. “And special thanks go to our alumni for hosting
a series of Lions Nights for prospective students last spring. We
know their efforts contributed to this success.”
This semester’s numbers represent the highest enrollment since
1993, when the total was 8,096.
Marketing efforts and the increase in the number and value of scholarships
also contributed to the bigger enrollments, Gray said, along with
an outstanding performance by marketing and student recruitment
staff.
“There’s enthusiasm and excitement,” among staff
and faculty, he said, along with “the realization that there’s
still more work to be done to ensure this increase becomes a trend.”
Oh, what a new-fangled web we weave!
Cyberspace travelers will want to cruise the appealingly updated
pages of the University website at www.tamu-commerce.edu.
After a challenge from President Keith McFarland, A&M-Commerce
webmaster Jaime Harper (BS ’97, MS ’99) has pulled off
the major makeover in record time, finishing the work in less than
a month.
The “Future Students” and “Parents” pages saw
the biggest changes, and a FAQ segment was added. Among the enhancements
included in the site’s more than 60 new and improved pages
were all-new photos and an automated calendar.
Goodbye, GroceryWorks, says Gary Fernandes
Fernandes
Commerce may get to see more of former student Gary Fernandes, who
after retiring from his post as chair and CEO of a Dallas-based online
supermarket business (The Pride, April 2001), has told reporters he’d
like to spend more time on his farm near here.
In addition to his large cattle and horse operation north of Commerce,
Gary also still partners a chain of travel stores with his son and
is on several boards of directors.
In other news…
• A Mix-ed up set of A&M-Commerce students gave the University
some publicity on Dallas radio recently. Marketing students of Dr.
Alma Mintu-Wimsatt were part of an early morning live audience at
Mix 102.9, and producers saw to it they got to give their Alma Mater
a plug.
• The University fared well recently when the Texas Legislature
approved education funding for the next two years. Lawmakers upped
A&M-Commerce’s general revenue funding by $4.4 million—an
increase of 8 percent compared to 6.9 percent statewide.
The increase in state funding along with campus cutbacks of about
$1.5 million will allow the University to hand out salary increases
of about 4 percent.
• Dr. Syntha West (MEd ’65, PhD ’71) won in the
Best Evening Gown category at the Ms. American Classic in Charleston,
S.C. recently after being named Ms. Texas Senior (The Pride, Summer
2001). “It was a great week and one of the best experiences
of my life,” Syntha said just after the national pageant.
Winning the overall title was Nancy Kinwen of Michigan.
Open housing
The New Pride
Apartments, a 300-bed residence hall, opened to students this fall.
The courtyard area, above, can be seen from inside a bay window
in the Community Building.
The courtyard area, which is situated at the center
of the facility’s six apartment buildings.
EXTRA CREDIT
Tips for buying your next home computer
The Pride occasionally asks faculty to lend their
expertise on topics you, their alumni, might find useful. In this
issue, you get some advice from the Department of Computer Science
and Information Systems.
Whether you’re buying one for your kids’
education or for just playing games, here are a few things to keep
in mind while shopping for your next home computer.
Decide on the use of the computer. If you’re only interested
in word processing, the latest and greatest computer is by no means
necessary. Most people today want the ability to run some kind of
office software, surf the web and email friends and family.
Most computers on the market today are capable of handling these
tasks. If you plan on using the computer for serious
game playing, digital audio, video or some other kind of multimedia,
a higher-end system with more RAM memory, larger hard disk and faster
processor would be more appropriate.
Decide how much money you can afford to spend, allowing yourself
enough money to buy a computer that meets your needs. If this means
spending a couple of hundred dollars more, it will be worth it.
Know the lingo. It’s important that you are familiar with
computer terminology so that you can make an informed choice.
Make a list of the things you want in your computer, and take your
list with you while shopping.
Shop around. Don’t buy the first computer you see. Get the
best deal available by comparing prices on manufacturers’ web
sites, in newspaper circulars and at your local computer store.
Be aware of agreements. Watch out for hidden deals such as internet
service provider rebates that reduce the computer’s advertised
price but require a long-term commitment.
Investigate the available techni
cal support. It is important to find a company with a good support
staff.
Ask questions about service plans and warrantees such as “Where
is the repair work done?” and “Will I have to send off my
computer, and if so, how long will it be gone?” If buying from
an electronics store, ask management if it is an authorized repair
facility.
Also, ask friends, family and coworkers about their experiences
with the company.
Will McWhorter
Instructor, Computer Science
& Information Systems
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