▁longer ▁an ▁important ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁curr icul um . ▁E ff ort s ▁were ▁begun ▁to ▁turn ▁ASC ▁into ▁a ▁four - year ▁institution , ▁but ▁the ▁Texas ▁A & M ▁administration ▁refused ▁to ▁consider ▁the ▁idea ▁since ▁it ▁was ▁possible ▁that ▁ASC ▁could ▁grow ▁to ▁be ▁larger ▁than ▁College ▁Station . ▁The ▁growth ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Ar ling ton ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁major ▁expansion ▁of ▁ASC . ▁The ▁student ▁population ▁increased ▁from ▁ 1 , 3 2 2 ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁to ▁ 6 , 5 2 8 ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁land ▁ac quisition ▁and ▁construction ▁of ▁many ▁buildings . ▁Jack ▁W ool f ▁was ▁named ▁president ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁as ▁serious ▁efforts ▁began ▁to ▁make ▁ASC ▁a ▁four - year ▁college . ▁The ▁Texas ▁legisl ature ▁approved ▁the ▁four - year ▁status ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁En roll ment ▁reached ▁ 9 , 1 1 6 ▁students ▁in ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁a ▁larger ▁total ▁than ▁the ▁Texas ▁A & M ▁College ▁Station ▁campus . ▁Although ▁Texas ▁A & M ▁proposed ▁a ▁re organ ization ▁for ▁the ▁system ▁to ▁recognize ▁ASC ' s ▁growth , ▁A & M ▁System ▁President ▁James ▁Earl ▁Rud der ▁resist ed ▁developing ▁ASC ▁into ▁a ▁university ▁with ▁gradu ate ▁programs . ▁Rud der ▁and ▁the ▁Texas ▁A & M ▁board