Texas A&M University-Texarkana

Compact with Texans

Agency Services Offered

Texas A&M University-Texarkana (A&M-Texarkana) provides residents of Northeast Texas with the broadest possible access to quality educational opportunities and services. The university produces quality graduates within a career-oriented curriculum at both the graduate and undergraduate levels in the areas of Business Administration, Arts and Sciences, Behavioral Sciences, and Education.

The university serves the broadest possible spectrum of its constituency including both the traditional students transferring from a community college and the non-traditional adult student returning to update or complete his or her education. It is our belief that higher education should be accessible for all qualified students, emphasizing the importance of cultural diversity in the learning environment.

A&M-Texarkana stresses the development of interpersonal interactions that will enhance work and personal relations, and the abilities to think critically and communicate effectively with others. The university also prepares students for a knowledge-based, technology-oriented economy and society.

The university encourages active participation of faculty and staff in providing services to area civic, governmental and business organizations, and it provides professional development to serve the entire community and region.

The institution seeks to be responsive to the needs of both the public and private sectors of our region as well as to those of the larger society. The university responds to regional needs by conducting action research and by providing training, internships, and community service to regional agencies, businesses, and schools.

Customer Service Principles, Goals, Objectives and Standards

• Accrediting and Governing Boards
  Texas A&M University-Texarkana is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Commission on Colleges, to offer baccalaureate and master's level degrees, and governed by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents in full compliance with the standards of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
  
  Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Commission on Colleges
            1866 Southern Lane
            Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
            Ph: 404-679-4501
            www.sacscoc.org
  
  Texas A&M University System Board of Regents
            PO Box C-1 (MS-1123)
            College Station 77844-9021
            Ph: 979-845-9600
            Fx: 979-845-0835
  
  The Texas A&M University System
            A&M System Building
            200 Technology Way
            College Station, Texas 77845-3424
            Ph: 979-458-6000
            Fx: 979-458-6044
            http://tamusbor.tamu.edu
  
  Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
            1200 East Anderson Lane
            Austin, TX 78752.
            Mailing address: P.O. Box 12788
            Austin, TX 78711.
            Ph: 512-427-6101
            Fx: 512-427-6127
            http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/
  
  
• Faculty and Staff
  The faculty and staff of A&M-Texarkana are committed to provide the residents of Northeast Texas with quality educational opportunities and services. It is our commitment to produce quality graduates within a career-oriented curriculum at both the graduate and undergraduate levels in the areas of Business Administration, Arts and Sciences, Behavioral Sciences, and Education.

  Students will be provided personal academic guidance counseling by highly qualified faculty members, and receive courteous, friendly, knowledgeable services from support staff; including campus security, career services, degree planning, financial aid, library, student activities, teacher certification, academic services, and veterans' services.
  
  All student and academic services representatives may be reached by calling the main campus number, 903-223-3000. Individual names and communication numbers may be obtained (1) in the current university catalog, pages 126-135, (2) by calling the university main number 903-223-3000, or (3) on the university web site (http://www.tamut.edu/staffdir/index.php?pageid=20).
  
  

• Service timeliness
  It is the goal of the employees of A&M-Texarkana to provide timely service appropriate to the customer's request. Simple customer requests will receive a response within two to five minutes. Response times for more complex standard requests will be posted within each department or clearly communicated to the customer at the time the request is made. Responses to e-mailed requests made on business days before 4:00 will be answered within one hour.
  
  
• Communications
  Access to the faculty and staff of A&M-Texarkana includes state-of-the-art telecommunications equipment. The telephone system is equipped to provide direct access to all employees in the university, and voice mail allows our customers to leave messages requesting a return call if the party is not available. It is the goal of A&M-Texarkana employees to answer every call promptly, forward calls efficiently, and return voice messages or e-mail responses punctually. Callers should expect to receive a satisfactory answer to their question within two transfers of the original call. Fax machines are also available to each department for receiving and transmitting documents related to university business.
  
  E-mail service is provided not only to the employees of the university, but also to its students. Full-time faculty and all staff e-mail addresses may be obtained on the university web site at http://www.tamut.edu/staffdir/index.php?pageid=20. Adjunct faculty contact numbers may be obtained by calling the appropriate department (Arts and Sciences 903-223-3032, Education 903-223-3043, Behavioral Sciences 903-223-3174, Business Administration 903-223-3021). E-mails regarding academic course work will be returned within a reasonable time appropriate to the instructor's contract with the students in the course.
  
  
• Internet site
  The A&M-Texarkana web site provides all forms necessary to enroll at the university. By Fall 2000, students will be able to complete their enrollment via the web, including confirmation of enrollment in each particular course. The web site provides address, telephone and e-mail information about the staff, and pictures and educational information about the faculty. A visitor to the web site may construct an e-mail on the site to the webmaster (Webmaster@tamut.edu) with suggestions, complaints or general comments.
  
  
• Printed information
  Printed materials encompass recruitment, academic programs, student services and image enhancement through the use of brochures, catalogs, newsletters, view books and advertisements. All printed materials will be of clear, concise information organized in a professional, attractive format to successfully inform existing and potential customers.
  
  
• Facilities
  The physical facilities of A&M-Texarkana provide the residents of Northeast Texas with a pleasant environment conducive to learning and are available for public usage as time and space allows. The facilities meet ADA standards for accessibility for disabled persons and are maintained in a high standard of cleanliness and physical repair for the comfort and safety of our constituents. Students and visitors will find ample convenient parking at most times on the East and West sides of the buildings. Ample handicapped parking spaces are clearly marked near the front entrance.
  
  Facilities also include three state-of-the-art computer labs available to all A&M-Texarkana students, and two distance learning classrooms in which courses are broadcast via two-way interactive video to two remote locations and presently received from Texas Woman's University and North Texas State University.
  
  Web format courses are provided to students for whom distance or class scheduling presents a formidable obstacle for furthering their education. Web courses are being expanded as appropriate to the material covered in each particular course.
  
  Area maps to the campus, and building maps of the campus facilities may be viewed on the university's web site at http://www.tamut.edu/maps/index.php?pageid=15.
  
  
• Complaint Handling Processes
  Constituents wishing to enter a complaint need to first contact the department related to the problem. If the complaint is not satisfactorily resolved, the chief administrator of that department will refer the constituent to the next level of the administrative process until the problem is resolved.
  
  All departments within the university will provide an atmosphere conducive to customer service that:
  • Encourages customers to totally disclose any problems
  • Advises customers from the beginning about their rights and responsibilities
  • Informs customers how to take advantage of their rights
  • Instills a sense of control within customers
  • Notifies customers precisely whom to contact
  • Eliminates barriers in reaching the person who can resolve the problem.