SHORTS

Tarleton benefits from legislative session

The 84th Legislature approved a number of measures benefiting Tarleton.

Items receiving approval included an increase in the General Academic Formulas to fund enrollment growth, authorization of capital construction revenue bonds for constructing an Applied Sciences building on the Stephenville campus and the first building on the new 80-acre Fort Worth campus, as well as an increase in funding for group health insurance premiums for higher education employees and retirees.

“This was a very positive session for higher education and Tarleton,” said President F. Dominic Dottavio. “Our top priority was to obtain additional enrollment funding and we were able to do that. Rep. J.D. Sheffield and Sen. Craig Estes made Tarleton their legislative priority and we greatly appreciate their efforts on our behalf.”

Tarleton has increased its enrollment 36 percent in the last five years, and the formula funding increase will ensure the university’s ability to continue providing highquality teaching and support services. While enrollments have grown, so have university retention and graduation rates each year.

“The formula funding increase will enhance our ability to assist students in successfully completing their degree programs to reach graduation, and prepare them for outstanding careers in their chosen professions,” said Dr. Dottavio.

The Applied Sciences building will enable the university to add state-of-the art laboratory facilities for engineering and engineering technology programs, while also adding laboratory space for agricultural and environmental science programs. The Fort Worth facility will have classrooms and administrative space to serve a growing population of students seeking bachelor’s and graduate degrees in one of the most vibrant cities in the state.

The increase in funds for group health insurance premiums will cover new

2employees and aid the university in retaining its faculty and staff.

Aeronautical Team places 2nd in national NASA competition

The Tarleton Aeronautical Team blasted past the competition to earn 2nd place in this year’s NASAsponsored Student Launch Centennial Challenge held April 11, near the U.S. space agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Along with bragging rights, the 16-member rocket team received a $15,000 prize for successful completion of this year’s design-build-launch competition that highlighted NASA’s Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV)—the rocket affiliated with a proposed Mars Sample Return lander mission.

This year’s NASA Student Launch requirements were more stringent in its 15th anniversary competition as the Tarleton Aeronautical Team successfully used a robotic system to autonomously and sequentially accomplish the retrieval of a sample; insert the payload into their singlestage solid-propelled rocket in horizontal position; then erected the rocket and launched to an altitude of 3,000 feet; and deployed a sample container with the cache internally sealed during descent; and landed the container in an effort to mimic a MAV mission.

Of the 29 competing universities, only Tarleton and North Carolina State University successfully completed the NASA mission.

Nursing participates in simulations study

Tarleton received more than $200,000 to participate in a study designed to evaluate using actual patient care versus simulations for teaching nursing students, among other nursing education issues.

Part of a $1.8 million project from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) involving four higher education institutions and six Dallas-Fort Worth hospitals, the 30-month study involving 1,500 nursing students will attempt to define the best range of clinical hours for nursing students, and the distribution of those hours between patient care and simulations.

The goal is to develop nursing and competency standards that can be applied across the state.

Foundation awards $345,000 to Tarleton programs

Tarleton State University has received a $174,879 grant from the Texas Pioneer Foundation to equip a STEM Mobile Learning Center, which will serve as an outreach program and resource for educators and students across North Texas.

Developed as an outreach program to educate and recruit pre-service educators and professionals into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, the new Mobile Learning Center (MLC) concept will also serve as a resource for STEM-related education in rural communities.

Once outfitted and delivered to Tarleton, the MLC will bring STEM education to Texas public schools in a 90-mile radius of Stephenville.

Texas Pioneer Foundation also is providing $150,000 grant to establish the Texan Pioneer Leadership Academy under Tarleton’s School of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Strategic Studies and $20,000 to support MENtal Freedom, a mentoring program for African-American and Latino men.

United Arab Emirates honors criminology

The Ministry of the Interior of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently honored Tarleton State University for educating its country’s police lieutenants.

UAE Police Capt. Abdullah Saishamisi presented Dr. Alex del Carmen, executive director of Tarleton’s School of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Strategic Studies, with a plaque inscribed “In Appreciation for Your Dedication and Leadership.”

Currently, 25 police lieutenants from UAE are enrolled in the master’s in criminal justice program at Tarleton’s Fort Worth campus.

Four UAE police lieutenants graduated with masters’ degrees in criminal justice from Tarleton in early May. After graduation, lieutenants return to the UAE and are promoted. Del Carmen said UAE’s Ministry of Interior is very interested in continuing its partnership with Tarleton.

Bass Club duo win 2nd place, ‘big bass’ prize at Collegiate Bass Texas Shootout

Tarleton Bass Club members Stetson Overton and Justin Seeton claimed 2nd place in the 2015 Collegiate Bass Texas Shootout, April 25, at Lake Texoma near Denison, and also received a prize for landing the tournament’s biggest bass.

The Tarleton duo finished the tournament with four bass weighing in at 12.8 pounds, tying for 2nd with Murray State University’s Logan Thomas and Ryan Kirkpatrick.

Also representing the Tarleton Bass Club in the tournament was the duo of Marshall Hughes and Tanner Crim, who finished 8th with four bass weighing in at 6.87 pounds. Other Tarleton Bass Club anglers competing at Lake Texoma were James McCaleb, Wesley Schoon, Austin Fowler and Zach Hurst. Need more information? Check out these resources.

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texan facts

36

Percent growth in freshman class over the past five years

90

Percent of students completing data mining research assistantships and entering Ph.D. programs or obtaining jobs as data analysts or software developers

1,500

Number of students enrolled in 48 undergraduate, graduate and certification programs at the Fort Worth campus

1,883

Number of students who made the Dean’s List in Spring 2015. This includes students who have completed 12 credit hours and a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.