The College of Education at Texas A&M University- Kingsville has a new name— one that better reflects some of the most popular programs in the college.

Its new name—the College of Education and Human Performance—will highlight the role the college plays in training both future teachers and human performance professionals. The change follows a national trend for education colleges.

Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved the change during a meeting May 28. The change will not impact the college’s programs or administration. All four of the college’s departments— health and kinesiology, bilingual education, curriculum and instruction and educational leadership and counseling—will remain the same.

Approximately 60 percent of students enrolled in the college are in a non-teaching track. Those who are not training to become teachers are majoring in a human performance concentration.

“The name change to the College of Education and Human Performance echoes the wide range of opportunities available within the college, extending from the classroom to the research labs,” said Texas A&MKingsville president Steven Tallant.

Dr. Alberto Ruiz, interim dean of the College of Education and Human Performance, said the department’s faculty and staff voted on the name change and the majority favored the new title. “The name change is a better reflection of our college mission. The college prepares people for sev eral careers other than teaching, such as counseling and guid ance, educational administration, sports management, sport and leisure studies and exercise science.

“After serious consideration, the College of Education faculty voted to proceed to change the name of the College of Education to the College of Education and Human Perfor mance. The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents endorsed the proposal for the name change through its ap proval. I feel this is a great day for the College of Education and Human Performance and its future.”

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board now will be notified of the change.

The College of Education and Human Performance offers six undergraduate and nine graduate programs, as well as two doctoral programs. The undergraduate programs, including interdisciplinary studies for early childhood-grade 4, grades 4-8, grades 8-12 and early childhood-grade 12, and kinesiol ogy (sport management, exercise science, sport and leisure studies and health education) are accredited by the Texas Ed ucation Agency. Each program offers a rigorous curriculum in the classroom, as well in field experiences, where students have the opportunity to apply their knowledge in authentic situations.

The graduate programs offered in the college include the following: adult education, bilingual education, counseling and guidance, early childhood, English as a second language, instructional technology, kinesiology, reading, and special education. The College of Education and Human Perfor mance at Texas A&M-Kingsville is home to the first doctoral program in bilingual education in the United States and also offers a doctorate in educational leadership.