Do we need to increase enrollment

[StealthFrog]

I know this topic has been addressed before, but it seems like now more than ever the size of our school is holding us back. My question is, does TCU need to increase the size of our undergraduate student body to increase "eyeballs" on TV sets, better deliver a market, fill up ACS, travel better to road games. It has been confirmed by all this realignment that these are the characteristics of an attractive school. We all know that on athletic merit alone, TCU is more than qualified to hold its own in a AQ league. But it doesn't matter.

What if the BIg 12 said, "TCU, if you increase your student body to 12,000 students, we would love to have you in the Big 12". Would you be for it or against it? Would this affect our academic integrity even though we are seeing record numbers in applications? How much money will the school have to spend on additional student housing, facilities, professors etc., to accommodate 12,000 students?

University of South Florida is a perfect example of size matters. They had been playing football for 10 years, accomplished nothing, athletic offices were in a trailer, yet the were asked to join the Big East because they are a huge school with potential. Potential in this case is defined as a school with a large enrollment in a major city.


I'm not sure what my answer would be, but if we really want to be included in the upper echelon of college conferences, then some changes need to be made.

 

[PurplePassion]

i think our school is in an excellent position right now. sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for. i would not want to see TCU double in size. that's not who we are.

 

[Merch Frog]

My question is, do we become a research institution? Apparently that's the golden ticket.

 

[YA]

I have always said TCU's optimal size is 12k.

What really helped baylor is that it has a law school and those graduates go on to be politicians. We had a chance to buy Wesleyan law school several years ago. We balked at the price at the last minute and the deal was off.

 

[talor]

I really do not understand how this is still a question.

TCU has increased both applicants and enrollment numbers each and every year since 2003 when I was a freshman. Our school is expanding at a manageable rate. To go any faster would be irresponsible and likely do more harm than good.

 

[SnoSki]

QUOTE(Merch Frog @ Jun 17 2010, 10:06 AM) [snapback]582212[/snapback]
My question is, do we become a research institution? Apparently that's the golden ticket.



Not if, but when... law school and/or med school is needed.

 

[tcuball3]

might be necessary if you want to run with the big dogs...and produce more big dogs, the best thing is if TCU started/purchased a law school

 

[Filling]

Increase enrollment thread...

Must be summer.

 

[West Coast Johnny]

QUOTE(SnoSkiDrew @ Jun 17 2010, 08:13 AM) [snapback]582222[/snapback]
Not if, but when... law school and/or med school is needed.


Med School - Yes. Lawyers - No. What are we going to do with more lawyers? Plug the deep water horizon hole with them?

 

[TopFrog]

QUOTE(HFrog71 @ Jun 17 2010, 10:20 AM) [snapback]582237[/snapback]
Increase enrollment thread...

Must be summer.


Jugband already provided the first summer band topic of where will they sit? :wacko:

 

[StealthFrog]

QUOTE(HFrog71 @ Jun 17 2010, 03:20 PM) [snapback]582237[/snapback]
Increase enrollment thread...

Must be summer.

has this been a normal summer for college football? This topic applies now more than ever

 

[TopFrog]

QUOTE(StealthFrog @ Jun 17 2010, 10:22 AM) [snapback]582241[/snapback]
has this been a normal summer for college football? This topic applies now more than ever


nah .. timely question considering what's going on.

 

[Dogfrog]

I'm not sure I want TCU to set its size based on the football program. It would take many years for increased enrollment to have an impact on our athletic programs. We don't need more students, we need more fans. A professional, aggressive local marketing effort would be much more efficient and effective IMO.

 

[SnoSki]

QUOTE(West Coast Johnny @ Jun 17 2010, 10:21 AM) [snapback]582238[/snapback]
Med School - Yes. Lawyers - No. What are we going to do with more lawyers? Plug the deep water horizon hole with them?


Having a former law student as the TX governor seemed to work well for Baylor..

 

[SnoSki]

QUOTE(Dogfrog @ Jun 17 2010, 10:25 AM) [snapback]582250[/snapback]
I'm not sure I want TCU to set its size based on the football program. It would take many years for increased enrollment to have an impact on our athletic programs. We don't need more students, we need more fans. A professional, aggressive local marketing effort would be much more efficient and effective IMO.



Agreed here as well. Still wondering why we don't have a spanish-language broadcast and why we don't do more to reach the heavily-latino area that is SE of campus near SW Seminary.

 

[HToady]

A Law school would be cheaper to operate than a Medical school. I guess we could buy TCOM and start churning out DO's with a TCU degree.

Besides size doesn't seem to matter for Miami or SC......

 

[StealthFrog]

QUOTE(HToady @ Jun 17 2010, 03:48 PM) [snapback]582294[/snapback]
A Law school would be cheaper to operate than a Medical school. I guess we could buy TCOM and start churning out DO's with a TCU degree.

Besides size doesn't seem to matter for Miami or SC......

Miami 15,629 total students
SC 33,389 total students

 

[halfwaytoheaven]

QUOTE(StealthFrog @ Jun 17 2010, 10:52 AM) [snapback]582302[/snapback]
Miami 15,629 total students
SC 33,389 total students


But Notre Dame's undergrad enrollment is only 8,300. They seem to do okay pulling in the fans.

 

[StealthFrog]

QUOTE(halfwaytoheaven @ Jun 17 2010, 03:57 PM) [snapback]582309[/snapback]
But Notre Dame's undergrad enrollment is only 8,300. They seem to do okay pulling in the fans.

i hope you are not serious

 

[Dman890]

QUOTE(Dogfrog @ Jun 17 2010, 10:25 AM) [snapback]582250[/snapback]
I'm not sure I want TCU to set its size based on the football program. It would take many years for increased enrollment to have an impact on our athletic programs. We don't need more students, we need more fans. A professional, aggressive local marketing effort would be much more efficient and effective IMO.


I just don't buy the advertising campaign argument that is often brought up here. While ad campaigns are highly visible (and thus the topic of much debate such as SMU's campaign from a few years ago); the tangible results of getting more butts in seats is not that significant.

You cannot turn people into fans by marketing to them; you can only reach people that are already fans and/or interested in the frogs.

The only thing you can do to beef up attendance is keep winning; and as others have stated gradually increase enrollment so that the number of alumni increase to fill up our stadium.