TCU Board of Trustees hold first meeting of academic year

Fort Worth, TX

11/9/2007

TCU’s Board of Trustees heard reports on major campus projects nearing completion that are transforming students’ University experience and keeping TCU ahead of the curve.

The new Campus Commons, consisting of the Brown-Lupton University Union, four new residence halls and a large grassy area, is pivotal to TCU’s residential and pedestrian-friendly campus. The Commons will provide students more chances to interact with faculty, staff and other students, thereby creating new living and learning opportunities to explore new ideas, to search for meaning while examining career directions, and to improve the utilization of campus amenities, all of which ultimately will build a stronger academic community.

In addition to hearing the reports, the Trustees also voted to increase tuition for the 2008 - 09 academic year by 8.4 percent. New and returning full-time undergraduate students taking between 12 - 18 hours will pay a combined tuition and fee of $26,900 from the current $24,820. The Board also supported an 18 percent increase in financial aid, an amount more than double from last year. Historically, the Board increases aid equal to the tuition increase but determined the extra amount was needed in order to meet student demand for more financial aid.

“We must continue to provide a dynamic educational experience if we are to successfully educate tomorrow’s leaders and give them the expertise needed to solve complex global issues,” said TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. “TCU is establishing an outstanding learning environment by recruiting and retaining excellent faculty and staff, constructing top-of-the-line facilities replete with advanced technology, offering unique research and study abroad opportunities, and continually enhancing the curriculum to better affect learning outcomes.”

In addition to a recent $300 million investment in the campus, TCU will, this year and next, open numerous top-of-the-line facilities. Along with the Commons facilities, TCU also has added a new and expanded College of Education, the Sam Baugh Indoor Practice Facility and a new Barnes & Noble college bookstore. The University also has hired more faculty, placing the student-to-faculty ratio at 14:1.

In other business, the Board decided to replace the Brown-Lupton Student Center with a new facility. Board members made the determination to build a new facility after reviewing architectural and engineering information that indicated remodeling the current facility would not be cost nor space efficient. Construction on the Student Center, which has been renamed Clarence and Kerry Scharbauer Hall, will begin in May 2008. Once completed, the facility will house classroom and academic space. Additionally, the Trustees approved the renovation of Sherley Hall. That renovation, which is necessary to ensure the hall remains on par with other residence halls, will begin in May 2008.

The Chancellor also shared with Trustees official class numbers for the 2007- 08 academic year, reporting that there are 7,382 undergraduates and 1,286 graduates for a total of 8,668 students.  

At the adjournment of the meeting, Trustees attended the dedication of the Kellye Wright Samuelson Hall. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wright named the new Hall, which opened in August, in memory of their daughter.

The Board of Trustees will hold its next meeting April 4, 2008.