By Courtney Roach staff reporter The search committee for the newly formed College of Fine Arts named Scott Sullivan as the dean Thursday. Sullivan, the dean of Fine and Professional Arts at Kent State University, said he will finish the semester there and probably begin his job as dean of TCU Fine Arts Aug. 1. "The attractiveness of your fine arts program at TCU and the cultural strength of Fort Worth were an unbeatable combination," Sullivan said. "The cooperation and collaboration of TCU and area museums and performing centers offer tremendous possibilities. I would like to strengthen those relations in order to offer students and faculty opportunities to learn through speakers and music programs." Linda Guy, a professor of art, said she was favorably impressed with him when he gave his speech Feb. 3 as a candidate for the Fine Arts position. "He brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the faculty members," Guy said. "They feel like they can relate to him." William H. Koehler, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, said Sullivan had tough competition but was a clear choice for the job. "Scott has a breath of knowledge about the arts," Koehler said. "He understands studio art, 3-D art, printmaking, dance and performing arts. Not to mention he knows the arts communities in the Dallas/Fort Worth area." Kathryn Ellis, a senior radio-TV-film and theater major, said she was excited about Sullivan's arrival. "I thought he had some brilliant ideas," she said. "I like that he wants to assemble a committee of students to see what our needs are." Desiree Fultz, a junior theater major, said she also enjoyed Sullivan's speech. "I know some students have speculated whether his enthusiasm is real, but I think his enthusiasm is a positive thing," she said. The interim dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication, David Whillock, will begin his new job as interim dean of the College of Communication when Sullivan takes over. "We'll be looking for a new dean of the College of Communication next year while I'm acting as interim, but I would like to be a candidate for the position," Whillock said. Sullivan brings 14 years of experience, and said he would like to start new cultural programs to educate in the college and do some renovations. "I would like to see some help for the folks in the theater and dance department because they need space and renovation," Sullivan said. "I would also like to be able to bring a distinguished lecture series of local artists to students and faculty." Koehler said they will have to wait until August, when Sullivan begins his job, to meet with faculty and staff to develop plans for the college and discuss issues with the graphic design department. "(Sullivan) will sit down with faculty and staff and develop a strategic plan for the college and how to raise funds for the projects," he said. "The decision on whether or not the graphic design department will move to communication department will involve him and faculty in August." Sullivan said he and his wife are excited about the move and feel like they are coming home. "My wife and I love Texas and the Metroplex and are familiar with it," he said. "We are thrilled for this opportunity."
Courtney Roach
By Jeff Anderson staff reporter Emily Davis said her four-bedroom apartment makes off-campus living possible on campus. Davis, a junior geology major, said she is one of many happy residents of the Tom Brown/Pete Wright Residential Community. The first phase of Pete Wright opened in January 1999 and housed about 200 students. The remainder of the buildings opened in August, and the entire community now houses more than 300 students. Melissa McLemore, a junior speech pathology major, said she enjoys living in Pete Wright because it is very convenient for getting to class and because of the good parking. "It's nice to still be on campus but also have an apartment," McLemore said. "My parents were going to make me stay on campus, and then the apartments opened. This is the best bet for living on campus." Brett Robertson, a sophomore pre-major, said he enjoys having his own bathroom. "It's always clean," Robertson said. Students also said they enjoy the community feel of the apartments. Davis, who has lived in Pete Wright for one semester, said the residents are friendly. Residents recognize each other and say hello, even if they don't know each other, she said. She lived in Foster Hall before moving into the apartments. "(Pete Wright has) much more of a neighborhood feeling," Davis said. "We can borrow cookie sheets from each other." Pete Wright Hall Director Amy McDurham said students take pride in their apartments. Many students like the kitchen area, she said. "When you walk down the halls, you can usually smell something really good cooking," McDurham said. McLemore said she and her roommates decorated the apartment to make it feel homely. They put up pictures, shelves, curtains and made pillows to put on the furniture, she said. However, students said Pete Wright does have its flaws. Davis said she would like to eat on campus less and use her kitchen more, but residents in the apartments are required to have at least the $400 meal plan. "The kitchen would be great if I didn't have a meal plan to use," Davis said. McLemore said it's nice the apartments are furnished, but the couch and chairs are uncomfortable. "The furniture is nice when you have people over though," she said.
Jeff Anderson
By Kathryn Garcia staff reporter TCU students stressing about what to do on Valentine's Day this year will have the opportunity to attend a Valentine's Ball at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Student Center Ballroom. The newly-formed Residence Hall Association will sponsor the semi-formal ball. Tickets cost $5 per student and can be purchased at the Information Desk in the Student Center, at the door or from a hall council executive, who are RHA members assigned to each residence hall. David Sinclair, a senior neuroscience major and president of RHA, said 250 tickets have been sold or distributed. Daniel Bramlette, a junior radio-TV-film major, said the Valentine's Ball is an original concept he hopes will become a TCU tradition. "It gives people the option to go to a dance if they are not in a fraternity or sorority," Bramlette said. Sinclair said there will be a pianist performing classical music in the Student Center Lounge, and Sodexho Marriot Food Service will have a variety of free food including cakes, cookies, punches and finger foods in the ballroom. Sinclair said 10 years ago, the residence halls had a strong RHA, but over the years the commitment dissipated. Now the members are trying to re-establish that social group, he said. "The purpose of RHA is to make residential life more fun and have a community for students that aren't in a sorority or frat," Sinclair said. Lyndi Conrad, a freshman radio-TV-film major and RHA vice president, said a big event was the best way to bring attention to the association. "Valentine's Day was the perfect day to do that (get attention)," she said. "We wanted to find something for everyone to do, something for the whole campus, and a dance is something that most enjoy."
Kathryn Garcia
By Jill McNeal staff reporter Trupti Desai, a junior biology major and a Hindu, is attending a university that in 1911 engraved the words "dedicated to the service of Jesus Christ in Christian education" onto Reed Hall. Desai said she is comfortable being a religious minority at TCU. "Your religion is within you," Desai said. "This is what I believe. I don't try to force my religion on anyone else." TCU has the same philosophy, said Jim Atwood, instructor in religion and assistant to the dean of admissions. "Authentic faith must rely on personal choice," Atwood said. "Here, freedom is the key."
Austin Dickson, a sophomore religion major and member of the Disciples church, said TCU does have some Disciples influences. "A Disciples value is that men and women are equal," Dickson said. "TCU was the first university west of the Mississippi River to admit women for higher education. Disciples are open and affirming to other viewpoints, and we are not dogmatic. The influence isn't that obvious because that's the point." In its early years, TCU relied heavily on the financial support of the church and was governed by a Board of Trustees composed completely of members of the church. Currently, TCU bylaws state that between one-sixth and one-half of the members of the board will be Disciples of Christ members. In 1999, 13 of the 50 members (26 percent) held membership in a Disciples congregation. Trustees have traditionally included the minister of University Christian Church and the church's Southwest regional minister. In 1998, Chancellor Michael Ferrari was inaugurated as the first president or chancellor of TCU who was not an ordained Disciples minister. "He's not a Disciple, and I don't think I care anymore," said Ronald Flowers, professor of religion. "He understands what a church-related education should be." Tim Matthews, a senior math major, said the church does not have much of an impact on TCU. "I couldn't say that I see much of an influence from the Disciples church," Matthews said. "There are a number of Christian values at TCU, but it is not dominated by any denomination in particular." Flowers said the church's view of learning has had the greatest impact on TCU. "The fact that religion is viewed here as intellectual and respectable, I think, has contributed amazingly to what this university is today," Flowers said. The tone of the TCU campus, said David Murph, director of church relations, is tolerance of a variety of beliefs. "I think the open climate at this school relates strongly to the ecumenical background of the Disciples," Murph said. Flowers said the Disciples of Christ church was founded as a movement of Christian unity. "My hunch is that the general student at TCU is not aware of any influence from the Disciples of Christ church at all," Flowers said. While money from the church itself now makes up less than one percent of TCU's annual operating budget, Murph said that individual members of the Christian church contribute a large amount of money to the university every year. "Many Christian church congregations regularly give money to TCU as part of their budget," Murph said. "They still see it as their church school." TCU offers scholarships for members of the Christian church, Flowers said, in order to keep in touch with its heritage. "I think a lot of Disciples students come here with the purpose of becoming Disciples of Christ ministers," Flowers said. "I think we give back to the church to the extent that we help prepare young people to become Disciples ministers and ministers in other denominations. "Our continuing relationship with the church reminds us who we are and who we need to be as a university," Flowers said. "TCU was born in a religious tradition that values the individual, values reasoning and education and is tolerant of other viewpoints."
Jill McNeal
By Priya Abraham staff reporter Converting the Honors Program to an honors college would enhance its credibility and efficiency, said the program's director, Kathryne McDorman. "The most outstanding thing I've heard from people with honors colleges is that with increased visibility they can go after the high-end, high-achieving student," McDorman said. She said by becoming part of the structure of the university, an honors college could raise funds more easily. The honors college at Texas Tech University received $5 million in gifts since its inception almost two years ago, she said. McDorman said TCU's current program is sufficiently funded, but to grow and have more student outreach, more resources are needed. Nowell Donovan, a professor of geology, said although an honors college would raise the status of the Honors Program, changing the university's core curriculum and discarding the program would be better. "The sort of experience that we give to our honors students, which is an attempt at a breadth of knowledge, should be given to the whole student body," he said. Adrianne Anderson, a junior political science major and chairwoman of the Honors Cabinet, said an honors college would bring distinction to honors at TCU. "It would bring more talented students," she said. "Instead of a program, there would be a college with its own dean and its own budget." Last Friday, the Honors Council supported a proposal to switch the Honors Program to an honors college. "It's apparently becoming the norm (nationwide)," said Nadia Lahutsky, chairwoman of the Honors Council and an associate professor of religion. "For an institution the size of TCU to have a program looks a little peculiar." Austin Dickson, a sophomore religion major and vice-chairman of the Honors Cabinet, said, "It would create more classes for honors students and more opportunities academically." Roger Pfaffenberger, a professor of finance and decision science and chairman of the Faculty Senate, said professors teach honors classes voluntarily and are often overloaded. "The Honors Program doesn't have much leverage on individual faculty or collectively," Pfaffenberger said. "Some administrators have discouraged faculty from participating in the Honors Program because it might detract from (gaining) tenure." He said it is becoming more difficult for the Honors Program to recruit professors from different departments because of their participation in the Commission on the Future of TCU and increased enrollment at TCU. Faculty members teach honors classes for self-enjoyment only, he said. Pfaffenberger said an honors college dean could more effectively persuade them to teach honors classes and could also lobby on equal footing for scarce resources. McDorman said universities with which TCU competes are taking the honors college route. Baylor University is establishing an honors college, while Plan II at the University of Texas at Austin functions as an honors college. "It's our opportunity (for TCU) to lead among private schools," she said. "We are definitely one of the best honors programs nationwide." McDorman said if the proposal is supported by enough Commission Task Forces and the Board of Trustees, changes to the Honors Program would be incremental. Students would benefit immediately from increased accessibility to honors advising and be allowed to join the Honors Program late in their college careers, she said. She said the distinct identity of an honors college would help attract students and retain them in the program. "We are very eager to appeal to all majors in all colleges to keep students in honors all four years," McDorman said. "I'd like to see some of (TCU head football coach Dennis) Franchione's successes emulated in the academic sphere."
Priya Abraham
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The university has been affiliated with the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) since its founding in 1873, but Atwood said the nature
of the relationship between the two has changed since then.| The TCU Daily Skiff © 1998, 1999 Credits |