Jaime Walker staff reporter Even though Winton-Scott Hall meets 1949 fire codes, some faculty and students have questioned whether it is actually safe. Sid W. Richardson Building, located directly behind Winton-Scott, is equipped with a fire alarm, state-of-the-art sprinkler system, lighted exit signs and posted escape plans. Winton-Scott has none. Fort Worth Fire Capt. Tom Lewis, who handles all campus fire inspections, said both buildings meet fire safety codes, so they are considered safe. Each building is inspected annually and must meet regulations set forth when the building was constructed. Lewis said Winton-Scott must meet the regulations set forth by its 1949 fire codes. "Our code is designed as a minimum standard," Lewis said. "No one should automatically consider a building that met code to be completely safe." Julie Anderson, assistant professor of biology, said she is very concerned about the lack of fire safety in Winton-Scott. "I think TCU should put safety first," she said. "I worry that is not what is happening in this building." Wil Stallworth, assistant vice chancellor for plant management, said TCU takes the fire safety of all buildings seriously. "We have been working very diligently to make all of our buildings as safe as possible," he said. "Winton-Scott is now near the top of the list." Lewis said he has recommended TCU make improvements to Winton-Scott since he began inspecting the campus eight years ago. "It is about time TCU takes action on that building," he said. Stallworth said a lack of funds has delayed the renovations. "It isn't that we haven't wanted to make the changes, but affording the changes is a totally different manner," he said. "Renovations for Winton-Scott have been on TCU's five-year plan for at least the past 10 years." Melissa Whorton, a freshman pre-med major, said cost should not be an issue. "We pay a lot of money to go to school here," she said. "We deserve to be just as safe in class as we are in the (residence halls)." But Pat Paulus, a professor of biology, said TCU administrators made the right decision in equipping residence halls first. "We would just feel better if there were smoke detectors," she said. Paulus said in the past, the biology department has purchased laboratory detectors and other safety equipment with the department budget. "We understand the cost of a central system, so we did the next best thing," she said. Fire Capt. Brian Hannah said he understands why TCU added safety precautions to residence halls first but questions how administrators can postpone some classroom renovations until now. "Legally, the school is protected because the building meets the fire codes, but you have to wonder whether they have gotten lucky waiting this long," he said. Lewis said he commends TCU for the work it has done so far regarding fire safety. Stallworth agreed, saying the university's partnership with fire officials has made an impact on safety. "We have a very good working relationship with the fire department," he said. "They have really helped us understand the changes we have made and continue to make." Students and professors who spend time in Sid Richardson said they feel more safe now that the building has more extensive fire equipment. Yingqun Mao, a graduate student in organic chemistry, said fires are always a concern, but he is comfortable with the things TCU has done to make the building safe. "I really can't even say I think about the possibility of fire because it would take an emergency for it to cross my mind," he said. "It is the responsibility of our officials to ensure that students, faculty and staff are safe where they work." Stallworth said TCU is in the process of accepting and reviewing bids for the Winton-Scott renovations, and he said he expects the project to be underway soon. Lewis said students and professors need to take personal responsibility for their safety until an alarm and sprinkler system is installed. "At this point, the only thing people in the building can do is be aware of their surroundings," he said. He also said Fort Worth fire regulation requires alarms only be installed in buildings designed for use by young children and the elderly. "For example, my office doesn't even need to have an alarm," he said. "Everything TCU does is in its best interest, but it is extra."
Jaime Walker
By Courtney Roach staff reporter Officials are in the process of fixing glitches with FrogNet but said they are optimistic about its overall success. Registrar Patrick Miller said since its inception in May, FrogNet has undergone improvements. Freshman registration in May was a disaster because officials had to register 160 students by hand, he said. "We didn't know certain limits existed that had to do with how many users were on at the same time," he said. "It was set at 100. Luckily, it was a controlled atmosphere with fewer students, and we realized the problem and were able to change the limit." FrogNet has allowed students to register after 5 p.m. and has made obtaining transcripts and academic records more accessible to students.
Miller said he has been pleased with the progress, but there are still problems to be worked out. There are two major projects in line for next semester, he said. "First, we would like for students to be able to view their whole academic transcript instead of doing it semester by semester," he said. "Second, we want to make a counseling report, which would show every class a student has taken and lump them into the specific academic areas that each class falls under." The House of Student Representatives is also working with the developers of FrogNet on an addition that will allow professors to write a brief description of their course for students to click on and check out, Miller said. Spring registration was a learning period for the developers of FrogNet, Miller said. There was a problem with the waiting list function that had people working manually until midnight during registration, he said. "If students put themselves on the waiting list but already had 15 and a half hours or more, it would keep them on the waiting list and not admit them into the class since students require approval for more than 18 hours," he said. The malfunction occurred mainly with students who were in a class but were on the waiting list to switch to a different time or day. He said Interactive Business Systems, the company in charge of PeopleSoft, has been notified and is in the process of fixing the problem. Katherine Mayer, a sophomore biology major, said FrogNet is accessible to everyone and is easier than going over to Sadler Hall. "As soon as it was my time, I was frantic to schedule and couldn't figure out how to register for a certain lab," she said. "I ended up missing out on it." Brad Congdon, a sophomore e-commerce major, said FrogNet has made his life easier because he lives off campus. "I prefer this system to registering in person because I'm lazy, and I get to do it all from my computer," he said. Miller said he has had a lot of feedback from seniors asking why TCU did this now. He said it is a change in the way TCU is doing business and everyone is having to learn. "We've had so many e-mail (messages) asking specific questions, especially during registration, that we've had to assign someone solely the task of answering e-mail (messages)," he said. Mayer said she supports TCU's transition toward the use of the Internet but that it will never replace the staff. "I like the new system, but I never think the computer will take precedence over a solid person," she said. "I would rather talk to someone than sit behind a computer screen. It will work as long as there is someone competent behind the computer."
Courtney Roach
By Reagan Duplisea staff reporter The TCU Board of Trustees will approve the revenue budget and discuss various issues during its first January meeting today and Friday. The board will meet at the TCUglobalcenter at Alliance airport today to tour the new facility. The meeting will continue Friday back on the TCU campus. Chancellor Michael Ferrari added the January meeting last semester. Previously, the board held annual November and March meetings. "The purpose of the meeting is the development of the budget for the fiscal year 2000-2001," Ferrari said. Bronson C. Davis, vice chancellor for university advancement, said one of the main purposes of this meeting will be the approval of the revenue budget Friday. In the past, the board has approved both the revenue and the expense budgets at the March meeting. "We're approving the revenue budget because it's very important to admissions, in their efforts to tell prospective students what the tuition cost will be," Davis said. "By waiting until March, we would get the tuition prices to admissions too late."The revenue budget is determined by what the university expects to receive in income and, therefore, projects how much it can spend, Davis said. "The budgeting process will be driven by the revenue budget," Davis said. Ferrari said the January board meeting will be more "discussion-centered." "It's almost like a workshop instead of a business meeting," he said. Ferrari said the board will research the background on the most important issues facing the university in the future. The Chancellor's Cabinet, which is composed of all five vice chancellors, gives Ferrari recommendations as to what those issues should be. Those recommendations are then passed on to the board, Ferrari said. Other issues the board will discuss include enrollment, giving and auxiliary services like the dining services, room and board, tuition and the endowment, Ferrari said.
"The purpose of the meeting is to find the best way to go forward," he said. Gearhart said the board will probably talk about Intel Corp.'s decision to build a computer chip plant in Arizona instead of Fort Worth near Alliance Airport. "It's an important loss," Gearhart said. "That's kind of a setback but hopefully, nothing too significant." Davis said he agrees that Intel's decision is not a catastrophe. "Had they come here, they would have had the need of engineers," Davis said. "It would have been a source of hiring for us. But there are so many businesses like that in the (Dallas/Fort Worth area)." If Intel built the plant in Fort Worth, it may have become a donor to the university, Davis said. The March 31 board meeting will mainly consist of staff appointments and expense budget approval, Ferrari said.
Reagan Duplisea
By Jeff Anderson staff reporter The current visitation policy for residence halls could undergo changes for the fall if a proposal by the Student Concerns Committee of the House of Student Representatives is approved by the administration. Marcus Kain, a senior finance and accounting major and chairman of the Student Concerns Committee, said the proposal recommends 24-hour visitation on Friday and Saturday and from 10 to 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday. He said it also calls for 24-hour visitation on days before university-recognized holidays. Currently, visitation is from noon until midnight Sunday through Thursday and from noon until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
A petition created in favor of the proposal had almost a thousand signatures, Kain said. However, Don Mills, vice chancellor for student affairs, said 24-hour visitation is not likely. "The residence halls are not designed for 24-7 convenience," he said. "We would want to make sure things go as planned." Student Government Association President Ben Jenkins said the program seems like a good idea. "I think a change will happen," he said. "If the idea becomes reality, we want to make sure the students are safe." Mills said there are major safety issues involved with 24-hour visitation, but he is not against examining or changing the current policy, he said. "There are several people whose interests we have to consider," he said. "If you allow 24-hour visitation, what is the impact for those (residents) who don't have guests?" Roger Fisher, director of residential services, said he is also concerned with safety. "If we extend hours, we have an obligation to keep the building secure," he said. "Students make or break security." Kain said a check-in system for visitors in the residence halls is one security possibility. Also, he suggested added security guards at doors of residence halls. Fisher said he will meet with Russell Elleven, associate director of residence life, and with the Residence Hall Association in upcoming weeks to discuss the visitation policy and the proposed changes.
Jeff Anderson |
"We started using PeopleSoft, what we now call FrogNet,
two years after other schools did, and we are the only one who have it
up and running," Miller said. "We get a good bit of feedback
from students who are thrilled with it."
Kain said he began thinking about the issue after attending
the National Association of Campus Activities conference over the summer.
Kain and his committee researched the visitation policies of more than
25 universities similar in size to TCU, including SMU, Rice, Baylor and
Trinity University in San Antonio.| The TCU Daily Skiff © 1998, 1999 Credits |