TCU 360: Inside the mind of Chancellor Victor Boschini

[joejordan]

As a student, here's a few things I'm noticing...

We don't spend money on useless "stuff" as bad as we employ a lot of unnecessary employees. I study in an area where I see full-time, salaried employees of TCU taking 1-2 hour lunch breaks, and being in charge of areas of campus life that could be run by students and/or just eliminated.

Our freshman class is a lot more homogeneous that our upperclassmen. There are plenty of seniors who don't fit the stereotypical TCU girl/guy image, but way less of them in the freshman class.

We need to seriously re-evalutate our FSL office and staff, and how they handle student issues, particularly Greek Life. I'd really like to see 2nd semester rush happen, but it's apparent that our campus doesn't have the balls to stand up to the Greek powers that be (and just FYI, I'm Greek, so I'm not a hater or anything). I just think 2nd semester rush would benefit the student body gigantically.

Library needs to be bigger, I can go in on a Wednesday afternoon and will have trouble finding a spot.

The food quality at the BLUU isn't horrible, but the service is.

Haha. Sounds like a letter to Skiff editor, circa 1987. Oh, you forgot parking.

 

[hometown frog]

one thing to note in regards to us being better positioned than our peer schools is that all of our construction has been funded prior to ground breaking. I believe all the other schools funded their construction on bonds. So if the bubble pops in the next ten years, we are debt free and they have bills to pay and a popped bubble to step thru. That is a very significant point to be made.

 

[satis1103]

VBo took the baton from Ferarri and is handling it well IMHO. TCU is a more attractive place certainly than it was when I was an undergrad about fifteen years ago. A family member who works there and has through all the administrations we've mentioned here said that Ferarri kicked off the TCU brand advancement, but VBo is taking it further. As DP mentioned, there are a lot of schools that stake their entire reputation on academics, and they're not going to let us just pass them up. They'll probably always focus disproportionately more on that than we will or maybe even can, so I'm ok if we're not top-20/30 academically.

We're no slouches at this point, and pretty much everything I care about is thriving. Plus we've really done a great job of positioning ourselves as Fort Worth's university despite all the other big state school alums and the presence of one other major university in the city limits.

Let Rice crank out the engineers and nerds. Let Texas crank out the middle managers. I want to crank out both groups' bosses. IMHO, we're providing the balance that could become that.

 

[Deep Purple]

I'd really like to see 2nd semester rush happen, but it's apparent that our campus doesn't have the balls to stand up to the Greek powers that be (and just FYI, I'm Greek, so I'm not a hater or anything). I just think 2nd semester rush would benefit the student body gigantically.

Like many your age, you have a pretty one-dimensional perspective. ("Gawd, this is so OB-vious! Why am I the only one who sees it?")

Fact is, they see more than you. 2nd-semester rush has been debated at TCU since long before your time -- at least 15 years, if memory serves. And it's not so obvious.

We've looked at a number of other campus that have 2nd-semester rush,and frankly, the results are mixed. In many cases, it merely creates an unofficial rush that lasts throughout the fall term instead of getting it all over with in the first month.

Library needs to be bigger, I can go in on a Wednesday afternoon and will have trouble finding a spot. I can't imagine what it'll be like come finals.

That's about to happen as part of the Intellectual Commons. There's a Town Hall meeting coming up that explains all of this. Check it out.

 

[rifram09]

one thing to note in regards to us being better positioned than our peer schools is that all of our construction has been funded prior to ground breaking. I believe all the other schools funded their construction on bonds. So if the bubble pops in the next ten years, we are debt free and they have bills to pay and a popped bubble to step thru. That is a very significant point to be made.

I believed that to be true for a long time, but recently I've heard mixed things about this. I'm thinking that the athletic expansions have been funded prior to breaking-ground, but the academic expansions have been funded partially throught bonds. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[joejordan]

Bonds, James Bonds.

http://www.tcu360.com/campus/2011/09/13518.tcu-sell-bonds-worth-hills-village-construction

 

[illini_frog]

Like many your age, you have a pretty one-dimensional perspective. ("Gawd, this is so OB-vious! Why am I the only one who sees it?")

Fact is, they see more than you. 2nd-semester rush has been debated at TCU since long before your time -- at least 15 years, if memory serves. And it's not so obvious.

We've looked at a number of other campus that have 2nd-semester rush,and frankly, the results are mixed. In many cases, it merely creates an unofficial rush that lasts throughout the fall term instead of getting it all over with in the first month.

1. Don't use my age as an excuse to diminish my opinion. I won't use the fact that you aren't currently living at TCU 24 hours a day to diminish yours.

2. That is a good point, although I think if TCU had the balls to stand up to the "trouble-makers" in the Greek System that 2nd Semester rush would workout. But we all know the certain fraternities (and even sororities) that play by a different set of rules and get away with it.

 

[joejordan]

1. Don't use my age as an excuse to diminish my opinion. I won't use the fact that you aren't currently living at TCU 24 hours a day to diminish yours.

2. That is a good point, although I think if TCU had the balls to stand up to the "trouble-makers" in the Greek System that 2nd Semester rush would workout. But we all know the certain fraternities (and even sororities) that play by a different set of rules and get away with it.

Your age doesn't diminish your opinion, it clouds your perspective. You are saying the things that are expected of you.

Trouble makers? At TCU? Please, do tell.

 

[illini_frog]

Your age diminishes your perspective as well if you want to play that card.

I'm not going to name names because Greek name-calling threads are useless, but several fraternities at TCU regularly get away with murder and it's frankly laughable the administration does nothing about it considering how obvious it is and how all students can see it.

 

[joejordan]

Your age diminishes your perspective as well if you want to play that card.

I'm not going to name names because Greek name-calling threads are useless, but several fraternities at TCU regularly get away with murder and it's frankly laughable the administration does nothing about it considering how obvious it is and how all students can see it.

This is likely the most infantile post I have read since maniac's glory days.

 

[Frogcrates]

I think a few on here are confusing a strategic decision to position the university in a different and distinct niche with an acceptance of mediocracy and stagnation. The "either we're trying to become Harvard or we're comfortable being a commuter college" argument is a false choice. There's no need to be a pretentious and unqualified elitist by constantly trying to paint yourself as being in the company of Harvard (cough SMU) any more than there is the need to accept that your academic profile will not improve simply because you've decided to go in a different direction.

TCU has and will continue to make great improvements academically and to the caliber of students admitted. But to use a football analogy, much of what has made TCU such a great university has been its ability to take 3 star recruits and turn them into All Americans (as opposed to Harvard which will always be elite in - elite out). Moving toward bringing in 3 and 4 star recruits (so to speak) and producing some of the nations strongest competitors is not at all a sign of weakness (I've probably stretched this analogy and mischaracterized the situation, but you get the point.

Also, trying to draw any parallels between TCU's building boom and those of Baylor, etc., is a huge stretch. Yes, TCU has made some major investments in upgrading its facilities over the past decade, but it has also enjoyed strong growth in fundraising and has maintained a very strong endowment (helped greatly by Luther King and the BOT).

And, though I agree that this was a great article, I would be hesitant to just fully accept the evaluation of previous TCU chancellors given by just one person (Mills). For one thing, you have to always consider the role of the BOT and its different members through the years. For another thing, what may seem like highly conservative and prudent savings to one person may be more like disinvestment and neglect to another (another analogy to be drawn with our football program). VBo has been a fine Chancellor and, together with the BOT, is doing a great job of keeping TCU TCU irrespective of the increased strength (perceived or otherwise) of the academic profile of the university.

 

[illini_frog]

This is likely the most infantile post I have read since maniac's glory days.

Well you are such a wise old man with such great perspective, so you're obviously correct. We all know the youth of today are all immature and infantile, and have no idea what the real world is like.

 

[joejordan]

Wrong again. I personally know several young adults who are open, inquisitive, positive and going places. Their perspectives are still limited, but expanding. They are maturing nicely.

I know several of the others, as well.

 

[rifram09]

Well you are such a wise old man with such great perspective, so you're obviously correct. We all know the youth of today are all immature and infantile, and have no idea what the real world is like.

Don't worry about Crunch. When he runs out of things to say he just starts insulting people who disagree with him. That's an example of how mature he is.

 

[joejordan]

Don't worry about Crunch. When he runs out of things to say he just starts insulting people who disagree with him. That's an example of how mature he is.

I'm maturing nicely. Good take, though.

 

[tcumaniac]

I think I know what VBo is trying to say. He just didn't word it very well.

No way I would have ever gone to a school like Harvard, even if I could have gotten accepted. People that smart are not normal people. I know people that go to Harvard. They're weird and I don't relate with them. The atmosphere at a place like harvard is grossly competitive and stressful and strange.

Rice is even like that to sense. I visited Rice and took an official tour and did info sessions. I hated it. Everyone there was weird. There were no pretty girls. Seemed to be 90% Asian. And the biggest thing that stood out to me is that everyone seemed miserable, unhappy, and pissed off at life. No one smiled. No one would talk to you. It was really gross. I assume that's what naturally happens at an "academically elite" school and that's what VBo wants to avoid.

 

[Frogcrates]

It may also warrant mentioning that several of my classmates have gone on to graduate school at the academically elite universities, with more than a few going to Harvard Business School. Even if TCU becomes the place where you go before you go to Harvard, that's not too shabby. But if it simply ends up as the home of well rounded leaders who carry a solid and broad education rooted in the liberal arts, that's not particularly bad either.

 

[tcuseagull]

Like many your age, you have a pretty one-dimensional perspective. ("Gawd, this is so OB-vious! Why am I the only one who sees it?")

Fact is, they see more than you. 2nd-semester rush has been debated at TCU since long before your time -- at least 15 years, if memory serves. And it's not so obvious.

We've looked at a number of other campus that have 2nd-semester rush,and frankly, the results are mixed. In many cases, it merely creates an unofficial rush that lasts throughout the fall term instead of getting it all over with in the first month.



That's about to happen as part of the Intellectual Commons. There's a Town Hall meeting coming up that explains all of this. Check it out.

As someone who currently works for my national organization, I feel obligated to chime in on your and Illini Frog's discussion about TCU Greek Life. As a freshman I was definitely in the camp of deferring recruitment, but my philosophy has greatly changed. SMU practices it and their greek life is not near as strong as our's. Many groups struggle badly with numbers, whereas at TCU while there is some notion of who is popular and who is not, most sororities AND fraternities are actually all around the same numbers. All of our groups are quite strong in recruitment and retaining members.

The National Panhellenic Council and National Interfraternity Conference who are the governing bodies of fraternities and sororities both advocate against deferred recruitment. It causes a semester of ridicuous recruitment events and for freshman to feel like they are constantly being watched and judged. It is not a good campus atmosphere. This is witnessed at places like SMU and Vanderbilt. The system sucks. While deferred recruitment does allow for freshman to form friendships outside of just their fraternity or sorority and let's people have a better sense of where they may fit in, this difference is minimal. Most naive, immature freshman just think "Well I will only join ABC or XYZ....QRS SUCKS!"

The main problem I do have with TCU Greek Life is the housing situation. National organizations will never remove their group from campus and won't do membership reviews even though several fraternities here are risk management nightmares that probably should be gone. If a group is kicked off campus, TCU will likely fill the housing void, and the opportunity to return could be 10+ years down the road. If housing wasn't so stiff, a national organization might be willing to remove the group and start over in 4 years if they are guaranteed that they can return then. No such promise can exist at TCU with the housing situation; the administration wants those rooms filled every year ($$$). Greek housing also prevents new groups from expanding. Before Beta Theta Pi, we hadn't had a new fraternity since 1998. Bringing in new competition forces everyone to work harder. By enforcing the status quo, the Greek culture stagnates. TCU handicaps a somewhat toxic Greek culture through enforcing the university-owned housing situation.

 

[illini_frog]

As someone who currently works for my national organization, I feel obligated to chime in on your and Illini Frog's discussion about TCU Greek Life. As a freshman I was definitely in the camp of deferring recruitment, but my philosophy has greatly changed. SMU practices it and their greek life is not near as strong as our's. Many groups struggle badly with numbers, whereas at TCU while there is some notion of who is popular and who is not, most sororities AND fraternities are actually all around the same numbers. All of our groups are quite strong in recruitment and retaining members.

The National Panhellenic Council and National Interfraternity Conference who are the governing bodies of fraternities and sororities both advocate against deferred recruitment. It causes a semester of ridicuous recruitment events and for freshman to feel like they are constantly being watched and judged. It is not a good campus atmosphere. This is witnessed at places like SMU and Vanderbilt. The system sucks. While deferred recruitment does allow for freshman to form friendships outside of just their fraternity or sorority and let's people have a better sense of where they may fit in, this difference is minimal. Most naive, immature freshman just think "Well I will only join ABC or XYZ....QRS SUCKS!"

The main problem I do have with TCU Greek Life is the housing situation. National organizations will never remove their group from campus and won't do membership reviews even though several fraternities here are risk management nightmares that probably should be gone. If a group is kicked off campus, TCU will likely fill the housing void, and the opportunity to return could be 10+ years down the road. If housing wasn't so stiff, a national organization might be willing to remove the group and start over in 4 years if they are guaranteed that they can return then. No such promise can exist at TCU with the housing situation; the administration wants those rooms filled every year ($$$). Greek housing also prevents new groups from expanding. Before Beta Theta Pi, we hadn't had a new fraternity since 1998. Bringing in new competition forces everyone to work harder. By enforcing the status quo, the Greek culture stagnates. TCU handicaps a somewhat toxic Greek culture through enforcing the university-owned housing situation.

Great post, and may have actually changed my mind about deferred recruitment.

 

[tcumaniac]

illini..... I agreed with you when I was a freshman. But now I don't. Second semester recruitment wouldn't make things any better. In theory it would, but it just turns into a semester long recruitment period just like seagull said. I have friends at Baylor, and they say it just makes the first semester extremely stressful. You're having to put on a front and impress people for an entire semester.