Texas A&M University–Kingsville is a public research university in Kingsville, Texas. It is the southernmost campus of the Texas A&M University System. The university developed the nation's first doctoral degree in bilingual education. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". Texas A&M University–Kingsville is the oldest continuously operating public institution of higher learning in South Texas. The school was chartered as the South Texas Normal School in 1917; however, the opening of the school was delayed due to World War I. Founded in 1925 as South Texas State Teachers College, the university's name changed in 1929 to Texas College of Arts and Industries, or Texas A&I for short, signaled the broadening of its mission. A 1967 name change to Texas A&I University marked another transition. The university became a member of the Texas A&M University System in 1989 and changed its name to Texas A&M University–Kingsville in 1993. The school has been continuously accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) since 1928. Academics Student body Texas A&M University–Kingsville has a highly diverse student body with 6,357 students pursuing degrees from five academic colleges. The student body is represented by students from 40 U.S. states and more than 35 foreign countries. The student body is split almost evenly with 53% men and 47% women. Undergraduate students represent about 80% of the student population. The student body reflects the high Hispanic population of the South Texas area, with 69% of the students belonging to a Hispanic ethnicity, 15% white, and 4% African-American. Around 7% of students are international students. Admission As a Texas public university and a member of the Texas A&M University System, Texas A&M University–Kingsville participates in the Texas "top-10 law", which guarantees admission of the top 10% of Texas public high-school students into public colleges or universities in the state. Whereas certain Texas universities (such as the University of Texas at Austin) can limit these "top 10%" students to 75% of the incoming freshmen class via a tiered system, Texas A&M University–Kingsville offers admission to any student who graduated in the top 10%. Faculty More than 75% of the faculty hold terminal degrees (such as PhDs or Ed.D.s.) and have come to the university from more than 41 U.S. states and foreign countries. The university maintains a student/faculty ratio of 16 to one. The Faculty Senate sets academic policy, maintains all faculty