General Information

The provisions of this catalog do not constitute a contract, express or implied, between any applicant, student, faculty or staff member of West Texas A&M University or The Texas A&M University System. This catalog is for informational purposes only. The University reserves the right to change or alter any statement herein without prior notice. This catalog should not be interpreted to allow a student that begins his or her education under the catalog to continue the program under the provisions in the catalog.

General Purpose of the Catalog

This catalog is an official bulletin of West Texas A&M University and is intended to give general information concerning procedures and fees in effect when the catalog was published. WTAMU reserves the right to make changes at any time to reflect current board policies, administrative regulations and procedures, amendments by state law and fee changes. Students are responsible for observing the regulations contained herein; therefore, they are urged to read this catalog carefully. This catalog does not contain all University rules for which a student is responsible. Students should also consult other publications such as the West Texas A&M University Code of Student Life, Residential Living Handbook and specific contracts.

Equal Opportunity Institution

West Texas A&M University offers all of its educational opportunities and extracurricular advantages to students without regard to race, creed, national origin, gender, age or disability, except where gender, age or disability is a bona fide occupational qualification. WTAMU is an affirmative action/equal employment opportunity institution.

Statement Concerning Disabilities

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C.s 794, as amended), University programs and activities shall be conducted in such a manner that no otherwise qualified individual shall, solely by reason of disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of or be subjected to discrimination under any such program or activity. The director of student disability services is the University’s disability compliance coordinator.

Education Code § 51.936 requirement to publish a summary of Education Code Ch. 37, subchapter F. Hazing in the University Catalog

The following is a summary of Chapter 37, subchapter F. (§§ 37.151-157) of the Texas Education Code, which prohibits hazing in Texas public or private high schools. Texas Education Code § 51.936 applies Ch. 37’s prohibition on hazing to institutions of higher education. This summary of Chapter 37 is provided as required by § 51.936(d).

Hazing is a criminal violation under Texas law. A person may be found guilty of criminal conduct for hazing, encouraging hazing, permitting hazing, or having knowledge of the planning of hazing incidents and failing to report in writing his or her knowledge to the Office of Student Affairs.

Both failing to report hazing and hazing that does not result in serious bodily injury are Class B misdemeanors. Hazing that results in serious bodily injury is a Class A misdemeanor. Hazing resulting in death is a state jail felony. An organization found guilty of hazing may be fined $5,000 to $10,000 or, for incidents causing personal injury or property damage, an amount double the loss or expenses incurred because of the hazing incident.

It is not a defense to prosecution that the person hazed consented to the hazing activity.

Any person reporting a specific hazing incident to the Office of Student Affairs or other appropriate institutional official is immune from civil and criminal liability unless the report is in bad faith or malicious.

This state law does not limit or affect an educational institution’s right to enforce its own penalties against hazing.

The Education Code defines hazing as “any intentional, knowing, or reckless act occurring on or off the campus of an educational institution, by one person or acting with others, directed against a student, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in an organization.” The statute contains a list of conduct which constitutes hazing.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Notice

Annually, West Texas A&M University informs students of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. This act, with which the institution intends to comply fully, was designated to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records, to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings, and to submit an explanatory statement for inclusion in the education record if the outcome of the hearing is unsatisfactory.

Students have the right to file complaints with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office of the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the act. Written complaints should be directed to:

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office
Department of Education
Switzer Building, Room 4074
Washington, D.C. 20202

Local policy explains in detail the procedures to be used by the institution for compliance with provisions of the act. Copies of the policy may be obtained at the Office of the Registrar, located in Old Main, Room 103, on the WTAMU campus. Questions concerning the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act may be referred to the Office of the Registrar.

Accreditation

West Texas A&M University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Ga. 30033-4097, telephone (404)679-4501, to award bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.

The University has programs accredited by the Texas Education Agency; the State Board for Educator Certification; the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; the National Association of Schools of Music; the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education Programs; the Mechanical Engineering Program— Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, Md. 21202-4012, telephone 410-347-7700; the Council on Social Work Education; The American Communication Association; and The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

West Texas A&M University also holds membership in the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the American Council on Education, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools, the Association of Texas Graduate Schools and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.