Campus of Texas A&M University

.] All cadets, except those who are married or who have had previous military service, must live in the Quad with assigned roommates from the same unit and graduating class. Reveille, the Aggie mascot, lives with her handlers in the Quadrangle.cite web|title=Cadet Resident Handbook|publisher=Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets|url=http://corpshousing.tamu.edu/|accessdate=2007-04-30]

Notable buildings

Of the over 200 buildings on the Texas A&M University campus, the most recognized include the Academic Building, Albritton Bell Tower, the O&M Building, the Administration Building, the George Bush Presidential Library, Kyle Field, and the Memorial Student Center (MSC).

Academic Building

The Academic Building stands at the crossroads of the campus. Completed in 1914, it stands on the site of Old Main, the first campus building, which burned to the ground in 1912. Its most prominent feature is its copper dome, which is green with oxidation, much like the Statue of Liberty. The practice of polishing the dome was stopped due to the danger the glare posed for pilots landing at nearby Easterwood Airport. When the building was constructed, it was one of the first on campus to use rebar. Its architect, A&M Professor F. E. Giesecke knew little about reinforced concrete, "so [he] just figured out the amount of steel...necessary and doubled it". The result was an extremely durable building so filled with steel that blowtorches had to be used when piping for water fountains was added. In front of the Academic Building is the Academic Plaza, which is the site of a wide range of campus events, most notably Silver Taps.cite web |url=http://libraryasp.tamu.edu/cushing/collectn/univarch/texag/articles/98/november.html |title=A Symbol of Academic Excellence: The Academic Building | first=David L. | last=Chapman | publisher=Cushing Memorial Library and Archives, Texas A&M University | accessdate=2007-05-12] [cite web|url=http://www.tamu.edu/00/tamu-images/quatre00.html | title=Academic Building |publisher=Texas A&M University | accessdate=2007-04-21 | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070502105625/http://www.tamu.edu/00/tamu-images/quatre00.html | archivedate=2007-05-02] citation |last=Eisterhold|first=Michelle|publisher=Houston Community Newspapers|title=Klein youth killed while walking near A&M campus|date=2006-10-18|url=http://www.hcnonline.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=17343968 | accessdate=2008-06-23]

Albritton Bell Tower

Donated to Texas A&M University by Martha and Ford D. Albritton and dedicated on October 6, 1984 the Albritton Tower is Unit ft | 138 | 1 tall and contains 49 Westminster carillon bells weighing a total of Unit ton | 17 | 0 | lk=on, the largest of which weighs Unit lb | 6500 |1. The bells ring every quarter hour and are also programmed to play music such as "The Spirit of Aggieland", patriotic songs, and hymns. [cite web|url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=albrittonbelltower-collegestation-tx-usa|title=Albritton Bell Tower|accessdate=2008-06-22|publisher=Emporis.com] [cite web|url=http://media.www.dailynebraskan.com/media/storage/paper857/news/2007/10/01/News/Campus.Bell.Tower.Donated.By.1898.Unl.Almunus-3002493.shtml|title=Campus bell tower donated by 1898 UNL almunus|last=Boyle|first=Andy|publisher=Daily Nebraskan|date=2007-10-01|accessdate=2008-06-22]

Eller O&M Building

The David G. Eller Oceanography & Meteorology (O&M) Building is the tallest building at Texas A&M University. The construction of the Oceanography and Meteorology (O&M) building began in August 1970 and was completed in 1973. The architectural designers for the building were the father and son team of Preston M. Geren Sr. and Jr. of Fort Worth. Both the Gerens are Aggies. The building was built by the Tulsa, OK-based Manhattan Construction Company. It cost $7.6 million to build and was constructed of reinforced concrete and steel, with limestone exterior walls. In 1989, the building was renamed the David G. Eller Building for Oceanography and Meteorology, after David G. Eller, the former Chairman of the University Board of Regents. [cite web|url=http://www.met.tamu.edu/TAMSCAMS/tamscams_department_history3.html|title=TAMSCAMS: Department History, Page 2|publisher=Texas A&M Student Chapter of the American Meteorological Society|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070310231242/http://www.met.tamu.edu/TAMSCAMS/tamscams_department_history3.html|archivedate=2007-03-10] The building encompasses convert|109609|sqft|m2|0 (10,183 m²) of office, classroom, laboratory, and storage space. Housing the departments of geography, atmospheric sciences, and oceanography, it maintains a TTVN site for distance education which facilitates teaching with the Texas A&M University at Galveston campus. A Doppler radar system located on the roof provides data on severe storms. [cite web|url=http://geosciences.tamu.edu/dean/facilities.html|title=College of Geosciences - Facilities|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070310193126/http://geosciences.tamu.edu/dean/facilities.html|publisher=Texas A&M University College of Geosciences|archivedate=2007-03-10]

E.V. Adams Band Hall

The E.V. Adams Band Hall houses the Texas A&M Wind Symphony, the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band, as well as the University Symphonic, Concert, and Jazz Band; and Orchestra. Constructed in the 1970s, the Adams band hall was initially intended to serve as a dormitory office building. It is a two-story building with a basement.

Jack K. Williams Administration Building

The Administration Building is the centerpiece of the main entrance to Texas A&M University. For many years home to all of Texas A&M's administrative offices, the Jack K. Williams Administration Building opened its doors in 1932. It continues to house several Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University System offices and agencies. Designed by Professor C.S.P. Vosper and built by Campus Architect F.E. Giesecke, features of this monumental classical structure include intricate Ionic columns, polished brass handrails along its marble staircases and stained-glass windows. In 1997, the building was officially named after former Texas A&M University president Jack Williams to honor his work in increasing enrollment while preserving the traditional aura of the campus. [cite web |url=http://tamunews.tamu.edu/archives/article.php?articleid=2761&month=4&year=1998 |title=Jack K. Williams Honored With Building Dedication | publisher=Texas A&M University |accessdate=2008-06-23|date=1998-04-25] [cite web|url=http://www.tamu.edu/campaign/admin.html |title=Jack K. Williams Administration Building |publisher=Texas A&M University |date= |accessdate=2007-04-21|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20050304002909/http://www.tamu.edu/campaign/admin.html|archivedate=2005-03-04]

Kyle Field

One of the most prominent architectural features of the campus is the Kyle Field, also known as "The Home of the 12th Man". In the fall of 1904, Edwin Jackson Kyle, professor of horticulture and an 1899 graduate of Texas A&M and current, fenced off a section of the southeast corner of campus that had been assigned to him for agricultural use. Using $650 of his own money, he purchased the covered grandstand from the Bryan fairgrounds and built wooden bleachers to raise the seating capacity to 500 people.Citation | last = Perry | first =George Sessions | title = The Story of Texas A&M | publisher = McGraw-Hill | year = 1951 | url =] [cite book | last = Dethloff | first = Henry C. | title ="A Centennial History of Texas A&M University, 1876-1976" | publisher = Texas A&M University Press | date = 1975 | pages = 505 | id = ] After the first World War, the stadium was dedicated as a living memorial to the Aggies who died in that conflict. On game days 55 American flags, one for each Aggie killed, fly around the highest points of the stadium.cite web | title=The Standard | page=F-55 | publisher=Company D-2, Texas A&M Corps of Cadets | url = http://d-2.tamu.edu/Docs/Standard-Freshman.pdf | accessdate = 2007-02-28 | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20060911232123/http://d-2.tamu.edu/Docs/Standard-Freshman.pdf | archivedate=2006-09-11] At Kyle Field, the November 1921 game between the Aggies and their archrival the University of Texas became the first college football game to offer a live, play-by-play broadcast.cite web | last=Schultz | first=Charles R.| title=First Play-by-Play Radio Broadcast of a College Football Game | publisher=WTAW | url=http://www.wtaw.com/history.php | accessdate=2007-05-08 | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20061111180739/http://www.wtaw.com/history.php | archivedate=2006-11-11]

Over the years, the modest wooden bleachers were expanded to a three deck concrete stadium with a capacity of 83,002, currently the second largest football venue in Texas.cite web | url=http://www.aggieathletics.com/facilities.php?FID=7 | title=Kyle Field | work=Official Website of Texas A&M Athletics | accessdate=2006-09-27] Other features of the stadium and surrounding area include the Bright Football Complex, an award-winning natural grass field,cite web | title=Kyle Field's turf the "13th man"? | publisher=Sports Turf | date=2004 | url=http://www.greenmediaonline.com/uploads/st/features/0509_foy.asp | accessdate=2007-02-28dead link|date=June 2008] the Texas A&M Sports Museum, the award-winning press box, and the second largest video board in college athletics and one of the ten largest in the worldcite web | title=Lights, Camera, Action: Introducing 12th Man TV | url=http://www.aggieathletics.com/pressRelease.php?PRID=11654 | work=Official Website of Texas A&M Athletics | accessdate=2006-09-27] . Kyle Field is often regarded as one of the most intimidating college football stadiums in the nation. CBS Sportsline listed Kyle Field as the nation's best with a perfect score in three categories (atmosphere, tradition, and fans).cite web | last = Dodd | first = Dennis | coauthors = | title = Top 25 College Football Stadiums | publisher = CBS Sportsline | date = 2007 | url =http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/6437023| accessdate = 2007-04-30]

Memorial Student Center

For more than 50 years, the Memorial Student Center (MSC), "The Living Room of Texas A&M", has been a living memorial, a living room, and a living tradition at Texas A&M University. "Dedicated on Muster Day in 1951, the building is dedicated to all Aggies, past or future, who have given or will give their lives in wartime.cite web | title = A Living Memorial | publisher = Texas A&M University | url =http://www.msc.tamu.edu/facilities/memorial.html| accessdate = 2007-04-30] Because the building and grounds are a memorial, those entering the MSC are asked to remove their hats and not walk on the surrounding grass lawns.cite web | title = Faculty Survival Tips | publisher = The Association of Former Students | url =http://www.aggienetwork.com/survivaltips.aspx| accessdate = 2007-04-30dead link|date=June 2008]

On the main floor of the MSC is the Flagroom, a large, flag-lined room which students use for meetings, visiting, napping, and studying. The MSC also contains a bookstore, a post office, three art galleries, three dining facilities, and a seventy room hotel. Additionally, the MSC contains many meeting rooms and is the home of numerous student committees "that provide an array of educational, cultural, recreational and entertainment programs for the Texas A&M community."

In 2007, the Aggie student body voted for 122 million dollar renovations to the Memorial Student Center. The renovations will bring the student union to modern standards for both fire code and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The project is still in its design phase. When complete renovations will increase the size of the building to accommodate the growing school population, and make more efficient use of existing space. cite web | title = Project Cost | work = Texas A&M MSC renovations | publisher = Texas A&M University | url = http://votemsc.tamu.edu/cost.html | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-01-23]

Transportation

On-campus residents, who make up about 20% of the student body, usually travel to classes by walking, biking, or taking the on-campus shuttle.cite web |url = http://www.tamu.edu/opir/reports/ep/epfa2006_certified.pdf |title = Texas A&M University Fall 2006 Enrollment |accessdate = 2007-02-25 | pages=7-8 |date = |format = PDF |publisher = Texas A&M University |language = English ] Faculty, staff, and visitors may also take advantage of the on-campus shuttle route system, which operates from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and at select times during nights and weekends. [cite web |url=http://transport.tamu.edu/transit/oncampus.aspx |title=On-Campus Routes |publisher=Texas A&M University Transportation Services |accessdate=2007-05-16] cite web |url=http://transport.tamu.edu/transit/service.aspx#night |title=Transit Service |publisher=Texas A&M University Transportation Services |accessdate=2008-06-23] Sidewalks and walkways pervade the campus to allow pedestrians to travel to their selected destination. Multiple bike racks are located throughout the campus, especially adjacent to buildings, for bicyclists to park their bicycles. [cite web |url=http://transport.tamu.edu/bicycles/bikerack.pdf |title=Texas A&M University Bike Rack Locations |publisher=Texas A&M University Transportation Services |accessdate=2007-05-16]

Off-campus residents, who make up the remaining 80% of the student body, may travel to campus by walking, bicycling, driving by motor vehicle, or taking the off-campus shuttle. Students who reside in the Northgate area usually walk or bike to campus due to its close proximity. Those who travel to campus by an automobile park on assigned student parking lots located throughout the campus and travel to their classes by walking or taking the on-campus shuttle. Motorcycle parking lots are also located throughout the campus for motorcyclists. [cite web |url=http://transport.tamu.edu/parking/maps/motorcycle.pdf |title=Texas A&M University Campus Parking |publisher=Texas A&M University Transportation Services |accessdate=2007-05-17] As the on-campus shuttle route, the off-campus route operates 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and at select times on nights and weekends. [cite web |url=http://transport.tamu.edu/transit/offcampus.aspx |title=Off-Campus Routes |publisher=Texas A&M University Transportation Services |accessdate=2007-05-17]

Branch campuses

Additionally, the university includes two branch campuses: Texas A&M at Qatar located in Education City in Doha, Qatar devoted to engineering disciplinescite web|title=Texas A&M University at Qatar|publisher=Texas A&M University|url=http://www.qatar.tamu.edu/|accessdate=2007-04-30] and Texas A&M University at Galveston in Galveston, Texas, devoted to marine research and host to the Texas Maritime Academy. [cite web|title=Texas A&M University at Galveston|publisher="The Handbook of Texas"|url=http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/TT/kct42.html|accessdate=2007-05-22]

Footnotes

References

*Citation|last=Benner|first=Judith Ann|title=Sul Ross, Soldier, Statesman, Educator
publisher=Texas A&M University Press|date=1983|location=College Station, Texas|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=jaAlAAAAMAAJ

External links

* [http://campusmaps.tamu.edu/ Texas A&M University Campus Maps]