November 9, 2021
Dear Horned Frogs,
The Texas Christian University Board of Trustees met November 3-5 in its regular fall session. The Board expressed its gratitude for the TCU community’s efforts to ensure another successful semester, for supporting our thriving campus culture and maintaining a safe and healthy environment.
Our current themes of Connection Culture, Community and the Countdown to TCU’s Sesquicentennial celebration help us look to the future and inspire us to invest in TCU’s ongoing success and strategic goals. In addition, I was pleased to share progress on our previously stated themes of Safety, Sustainability and Justice, all of which remain relevant as we continue to maneuver through the pandemic, make prudent fiscal decisions and support campus-wide Inclusive Excellence efforts.
A highlight of the meetings were the four faculty presentations, which are yet another way for us to showcase the incredible work of our employees. Each shared an overview of their teaching priorities as well as progress made on personal scholarship and innovative pedagogy. All focused on their work in supporting TCU’s strategic goal: Strengthen Academic Profile & Reputation. These presentations spotlight academic excellence and underscore TCU’s commitment to scholarship, innovation and new knowledge.
- Dr. Joddy Murray, Faculty Senate Chair and Professor of Rhetoric and New Media, discussed his new book of poetry, titled Anaphora.
- Ms. Jean Marie Brown, Assistant Professor of Professional Practice and Director of Student Media, shared her experiences managing student publication TCU 360 and other insights into preparing future journalists for today’s news.
- Dr. Kara Vuic is the inaugural LCpl. Benjamin W. Schmidt Professor of War, Conflict and Society in Twentieth-Century America, an endowed position honoring former student and Texas Marine killed in Afghanistan. She discussed her research on the roles of women in the Vietnam War and her recent book, The Girls Next Door: Bringing the Home Front to the Front Lines.
- Dr. Rodney D’Souza, Managing Director and Davis Family Entrepreneur in Residence and Mr. Antonio Banos, Instructor and Assistant Director, both at the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Neeley School of Business, shared the mission of the Institute and its impact on student entrepreneurs as well as the regional business community.
The Board was presented with an aerial overview of the campus highlighting its strategic development over time, as well as a preview of the highly anticipated TCU Music Center and Van Cliburn Hall. Another key theme during these meetings was the need for continued focus on sustainability and responsible growth, given continued market fluctuations, rising materials costs and outside factors affecting the global economy.
The Board meeting was followed by a dedication of The Harrison, another way for us to celebrate the generosity of our donors and the success of Lead On: A Campaign for TCU.
I continue to be humbled by and grateful for the support and encouragement TCU students, faculty and staff receive from our Board of Trustees. Their Trusteeship comes with significant responsibility, which is rooted in their deep ties to our academic mission and dedication to an unmatched student experience. It is a joy to see what TCU has accomplished for our Horned Frog students as a result of smart stewardship and the dedication of our faculty and staff.
Thank YOU for making TCU one of the best universities on the globe, with much more ahead. Continue reading for details regarding discussion topics, presentations and significant decisions enacted during the three-day session.
With gratitude,
Victor J. Boschini, Jr.
Chancellor
University Budget & Capital Projects
The Board approved the academic year 2022-2023 tuition rate increase for the corresponding fiscal year, which runs June 2022 – May 2023. This increase will allow the University to maintain TCU’s standard of excellence in academics and student experience, given escalating operational costs and rising rates of inflation. The discussion reinforced TCU’s standing priorities to bolster the University’s academic reputation and accessibility, while attracting diverse and high-performing students. Key decisions include:
- Tuition Rate Increase: Trustees approved a 4.5% tuition increase for the academic year 2022-2023. Need-based aid will increase by at least the same percent as the tuition increase.
- East Campus Expansion: Trustees approved a preliminary proposal to add two residence halls housing up to 500 first-year students and a dining hall seating up to 700, which will also serve as a space for student social and study group activities, on the east side of campus. Further exploration and plans will be approved and shared in the coming months. This important step would extend the residence life experience to the east side of campus, further enhancing campus culture and the on-campus experience.
- Construction Updates: Two previously approved projects were discussed, the M.E. Sadler Hall repurposing for academic and classroom use and the west end restoration of Mary Couts Burnett Library.
Enrollment and Fall 2021, 12th Class Day Report
Throughout the pandemic, recruiting and retention efforts have been a priority and have yielded an incredible class of talented students to add to our campus community. The Board received this report with thanks for the dedicated work of teams across the University. The following official statistics were reported on September 9, 2021, the 12th class day:
- Total enrollment is 11,938, up 4.9%
- Undergraduate enrollment is 10,222, up 5.3%
- Graduate enrollment is 1,716, up 2.4%
- First year, first time in college – 2,560
- Retention of fall 2020 first-time, full-time students – 91.3%
Intercollegiate Athletics Updates
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jeremiah Donati reported on the shifting conference landscape and its potential impact on TCU, plus the upcoming search for a Head Football Coach. Name Image Likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal continue to be a focus as we prepare student-athletes for industry changes. The Neeley School NIL suite will be completed before the end of the calendar year and will help ensure TCU remains competitive in recruiting and retaining top talent.
Executive Searches and Appointments
Chancellor Boschini and Provost Dahlberg provided updates on recent appointments and searches currently in progress.
- After a national search, Dr. William J. Nunez was recently appointed Vice Chancellor of Finance & Administration, beginning January 1, 2022. Nunez will replace Brian Gutierrez, who will retire in January 2022 after nearly 17 years of distinguished service. Dr. Nunez most recently served as vice chancellor for business and finance for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he has served in various leadership roles since 2003. Read more about Dr. Nunez on the TCU website.
- Dr. Reginald A. Wilburn has been appointed dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, effective December 31, 2021. Wilburn was previously associate dean of academic affairs for the College of Liberal Arts at the University of New Hampshire. In addition, the Board approved the Chancellor’s recommendation to appoint Dr. Wilburn as a University Professor with tenure. This appointment recognizes Dr. Wilburn’s substantial contributions toward interdisciplinary scholarship, teaching and service and supports his role of interdisciplinarity as TCU’s dean of SIS. Read more about Dr. Wilburn’s appointment on the TCU website.
- Dr. Nichole Mancone Fisher was named University Registrar this November, following the retirement of long-time registrar Mary Kincannon. Fisher was previously registrar at UT-Arlington; read more about her on the TCU website.
- In recognition of his long-standing service as a respected administrator, Dr. Donald B. Mills was appointed Vice Chancellor Emeritus.
Searches for the Chief Investment Officer and the Senior Advisor to the Chancellor and Chief Inclusion Officer are currently in progress.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Updates
The Chancellor’s report included updates on key DEI initiatives:
- For the fourth consecutive year, TCU received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. This award recognizes commitment to and progress in DEI initiatives, programs and outreach.
- Details were provided about the new Inclusive Excellence speaker series and another successful Diversity Day Conference this past October.
- The important work of the Race & Reconciliation Initiative continues as a part of TCU’s ongoing DEI Initiative.
Lead On Campaign Strategy and Recent Gifts
Trustee and Campaign Co-Chair Ronald C. Parker provided updates for Lead On: A Campaign for TCU and University Advancement, including the significant support received this fall for TCU’s people, programs and endowment. Highlights include gifts for the endowed scholarships within TCU’s Andrews Institute of Mathematics & Science Education, the Marilyn and Morgan Davies Dean of Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences, the Bezos Family Foundation Endowed Chair for Early Childhood Education in the College of Education and the Dr. Ronald E. Moore Professorship in Humanities in the John V. Roach Honors College. Steady progress continues to be made thanks to the more than 48,300 donors who have generously invested more than $745 million in TCU through campaign efforts to date.
TCU Energy Institute Renamed Ralph Lowe Energy Institute
The Board approved changing the name of the TCU Energy Institute to honor the late Ralph Lowe for his longtime leadership in the energy industry and his family’s generous support of TCU, effective immediately. Trustee Mary Ralph Lowe made a significant philanthropic investment to help endow and name the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute at TCU’s Neeley School of Business as a tribute to her late father. The Board expressed deep appreciation for the extraordinary leadership and generosity of Mary Ralph Lowe and her family over the many years they’ve been part of the TCU community.
TCU President Search
The addition of a President position has been previously discussed by the Board but was placed on hold for the last 20 months because of the pandemic. The President will supervise day-to-day operations, which will allow the Chancellor to devote more time to fundraising duties and other external responsibilities. Trustee Sheryl Adkins-Green has been named chair of the search committee. The timeline and other details of the search are being discussed with the goal of presenting the search plan at the Spring 2022 Board of Trustees retreat.
School of Medicine (SOM) Update
Provost Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg reported that the SOM was granted provisional accreditation by LCME and is working toward full accreditation in 2023. The school is thriving with three classes of 60 students currently enrolled, and applications trending at more than 8,100 per year. In keeping with TCU’s tuition increase of 4.5%, the School of Medicine also will increase its tuition by 4.5% for the 2022-2023 academic year. Through strategic collaborations, the School of Medicine and its partners have helped to create approximately 500 new medical residency positions in the North Texas area. In addition to clinical training, students, faculty and staff are engaged in community service, focusing on health disparities and underrepresented needs.
Resolution in Memoriam, Trustee Edgar H. Schollmaier
Edgar “Ed” Hans Schollmaier was a devoted Trustee of Texas Christian University and served ably from 1996 until his death on September 16, 2021. He was a driving force and visionary leader in the strategic expansion of TCU and an influential mentor to many Trustees and TCU leaders. We are deeply grateful to Ed and his late wife, Rae, for their devotion and generosity to TCU. Their legacy lives on through their many gifts to the University, including the naming gift of the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena.