The Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science has received $87,100 from Texas Instruments' TI Foundation to support the program during the 2003-04 academic year.

The grant will benefit 65 economically disadvantaged students in the academy.

Since it opened in August 1988, TAMS has been funded by the Texas Legislature as a special line item in the state budget. The academy had received about $1.7 million annually from the Legislature to cover operating expenses and tuition, books and fees for approximately 380 students each academic year. The students' parents paid only for room and board — approximately $4,400 per year.

However, the state's budget shortfall caused the academy's funding to be cut by 12.5 percent for the 2003-04 academic year. Parents were asked to pay $1,000 in addition to room and board costs to enroll their students in the academy.

Out of the 214 new academy students and 162 students returning for their second year, 65 students will be on financial aid this coming academic year. The TI Foundation grant will support the additional $1,000 that these students' parents would have been required to pay, says Richard Sinclair, TAMS dean.

"The Texas Instruments Foundation recognized the value of TAMS to the technological future of the region and generously provided this one-time grant," he says.

Jack Swindle, president of the TI Foundation, called the grant "an investment in the future."

"The TAMS program is really a jewel in the Texas education system that gives talented students the opportunity to achieve their potential," he says.

Sinclair says that in addition to covering the additional $1,000, the grant may be used to cover an increase in tuition for the Spring 2004 semester.

The extra $1,000 required of parents resulted in 44 students who were admitted to the TAMS Class of 2005 deciding not to attend. But Sinclair says the academy was able to easily fill the class because it had a record number of applications for this academic year.

"We have already received applications for the 2006 class," he says.

BY NANCY KOLSTI nkolsti@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• Regents to consider 2004 budget
• UNT names provost and vice president for academic affairs
• UNT names Davison interim vice president for development
• UNT's NAACP chapter earns national recognition
• UNT professor warns of potentially unhealthy eating environment in schools
• Professor talks about USA PATRIOT Act's effect on libraries
• Anti-smoking CD-ROM is cool to Texas middle schoolers
• More pharmacy benefit changes, some already effective

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