page_title: History of Texas A&M University–Commerce (1996–present)
hierarchical_section_title: History of Texas A&M University–Commerce (1996–present)
caption_attribution_description: English: The Rayburn Student Center on the campus of Texas A&amp;M University–Commerce in Commerce, Texas (United States).
context_page_description: The history of Texas A&M University–Commerce since 1996 comprises the history of Texas A&M University–Commerce since East Texas State University was renamed and admitted into the Texas A&M University System. In this period, A&M–Commerce has been led by four different presidents: Jerry D. Morris, Keith D. McFarland, Dan R. Jones, and Ray M. Keck, and has seen student numbers increase from 7,400 in 2000 to 13,000 in 2015. A number of new buildings have been added since 1996, most notably the Morris Recreation Center, the Keith D. McFarland Science Building, the Rayburn Student Center, and the Music Building. In 2016, the university's Carnegie Classification was upgraded to "Doctoral University-Higher Research Activity", due in part to an Air Force Research Laboratory Summer Faculty Fellowship and Fulbright Scholarships awarded to its faculty.
  A&M–Commerce has become increasingly diverse during this period, most notably in terms of Hispanic students, who have grown from approximately 7% of the student body in 2008 to about 18% in 2015, which has allowed the university to be designated an "emerging" Hispanic-serving institution in 2014.
context_section_description: The history of Texas A&M University–Commerce (A&M–Commerce) since 1996 comprises the history of Texas A&M University–Commerce since East Texas State University (ETSU) was renamed and admitted into the Texas A&M University System. In this period, A&M–Commerce has been led by four different presidents: Jerry D. Morris, Keith D. McFarland, Dan R. Jones, and Ray M. Keck, and has seen student numbers increase from 7,400 in 2000 to 13,000 in 2015. A number of new buildings have been added since 1996, most notably the Morris Recreation Center (opened in 2003), the Keith D. McFarland Science Building (2006), the Rayburn Student Center (2009), and the Music Building (2011). In 2016, the university's Carnegie Classification was upgraded to "Doctoral University-Higher Research Activity" (R2), due in part to an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Summer Faculty Fellowship and Fulbright Scholarships awarded to its faculty.
  A&M–Commerce has become increasingly diverse during this period, most notably in terms of Hispanic students, who have grown from approximately 7% of the student body in 2008 to about 18% in 2015, which has allowed the university to be designated an "emerging" Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) in 2014. A&M–Commerce has also created an Honors College, a related Regents' Scholars Program, and a nursing program since 1996. Additionally, the university collaborates with area junior colleges such as Eastfield College, Navarro College, Paris Junior College, and Tyler Junior College.
caption: Rayburn Student Center in 2016
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