Additionally, A&M will also be developing an extensive online masters program, Banks says. “We have one program today; we’ll be expanding that to eight.”

Physical expansions will include thorough renovations and additions to an existing building on campus in College Station. Costs for that project have yet to be determined.

“That building, once renovated, will be known as an Engineering Education Complex. It will be 100% devoted to undergraduate engineering education,” Banks says. “We should have the building completed by 2016.”

“At this time we already have about ten buildings associated with engineering. We have no desire to double our footprint and we’re not going to. This is about using the facilities we have much more effectively,” Banks says.

With the need for more faculty members as the student body grows, Banks says discussions will now be held with the university’s steering committee “to determine how we will meet the educational objectives and what will the workforce need to be to do so. Professors of practice and tenure track faculty – what would be the ratio of those two individuals? We’re hoping to enhance the student experience with interaction with professors of practice.”

A&M’s growth model is aiming to increase undergraduate enrollment each year 6.5%, online and campus master’s students another 15% and PhD another 5%, and increase the university’s retention significantly over that time to 75%.

“Then we’ll be able to meet our goal of 25,000 students in 2025,” Banks explains. “Most people are worried about the rate of growth, but quite frankly, we’ve looked at our resources and our funding and we believe we can manage with those kinds of increases over a period of time.”