full-time students, A&M will be eligible to apply for funding to build its own campus here in South San Antonio.

State Sen. Frank Madla has envisioned a university on the South Side of San Antonio for years. That vision now has a concrete foundation from $1.6 million appropriated this year by the Texas Legislature for the Texas A&M System Center to begin developing a University Center at Palo Alto College.

"The time has come," Madla said about bringing in a university to the South Side of San Antonio.

The chancellor of the Alamo Community College District (ACCD), Robert Ramsay, predicts a big impact from the Palo Alto and Texas A&M partnership. He believes the venture will lead to agricultural research in such things as food, livestock, the environment and ag-tech programs that may attract national and international corporations to the South Side of San Antonio.

Ramsay also sees an impact in the growth of business with a new A&M University campus. "All of the things that happen to an area when you build a university: housing for faculty, businesses that serve the academic entity, bookstores, conference centers...," said Ramsay.

Ramsay and Harold Oliver, Sen. Madla's legislative assistant, believe the enrollment of 3,500 full-time students, or 5,000 students overall, taking upper-division courses could be reached within two to three years.

Leo Sayavedra, deputy chancellor of the Texas A&M system, said that $2 million to $3 million is needed to get the programs started and to offer the first few courses. No community college money would be used for to pay for land or the construction of the new campus.

The A&M program will provide upper-level courses for all students in the ACCD but will be directed to Palo Alto students. Students will have the opportunity to take courses both at Palo Alto College and upper-division courses offered by Texas A&M at the same time as long as they have finished pre-requisite classes.

This partnership does not mean Palo Alto will become the maroon and white Palominos. Officials emphasize that Palo Alto will remain a separate community college and, for the time being, A&M will use some of the school's facilities for upper-division courses.

Palo Alto College President Dr. Enrique Solis said that the presence of the Texas A&M System Center at Palo Alto will provide students with more opportunities.

From a student interest survey conducted the week of Sept. 27, 1999, the Texas A&M University System Center will determine which junior- and senior-level classes and programs will be offered at Palo Alto and other local colleges for the Fall 2000 semester. The survey targeted 4,000 Palo Alto College students and staff and is also being conducted at the other ACCD schools. Results from the survey will be published in the Palo Alto College "On Campus" the week of Oct. 25.

The degree programs being considered are mostly agricultural, including agricultural engineering, agricultural journalism and agricultural education. Business and transportation programs different from UTSA programs will be emphasized. Options such as kinesiology, landscape architecture, aviation management, and international studies also will be available.

The degree programs will be presented for approval to the Texas A&M Board of Regents around December, then to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Soon thereafter, the student application process will start. The Texas A&M System will have an office on campus during the application process. Ginger Hall Carnes, Palo Alto Public Information Officer, said the application process and new classes will be a "seamless transition."

"We're excited," said Carnes. "It's a great opportunity for our students. They'll be able to earn a baccalaureate and a state-funded education from home."

How expensive classes will be has not yet been determined. As far as financial aid, Texas A&M will be separate from Palo Alto College and there will be no effect on Palo Alto's financial aid.

Students would receive their degree from one of 10 Texas A&M branches that leads or sponsors their degree program. Participating universities within the Texas A&M system include the campuses in College Station, Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Galveston, Prairie View, Commerce, Texarkana, Texas A&M International in Laredo, Tarleton in Stephenville, and West Texas A&M in Canyon.

Frank Mascorro Jr. is a sophomore Pre-Med Biology major at Palo Alto who plans to transfer to UTSA. But if the degree he wants is offered, then he will stay.

"It's a good thing for those who can't go away to school or can't afford to go to a big university," said freshman Joshua Haass, who is undecided about a major. "I'm not sure what I want to major in or do after college, and UTSA is so far away from where I live. I'm glad to hear that junior- and senior-level classes will be available for me to take next year here at Palo Alto."