Flat Ridiculous
Students short-changed by tuition

When the class of 2005 assembles on campus next fall, for its first semester at TCU, all of the students will pay $7,500 for classes, regardless how many hours they take.

But few of them will really understand the motivating factor behind the university’s new comprehensive-tuition policy — Chancellor Michael Ferrari.

When Ferrari became chancellor on July 1, 1998, he pledged to devote his energies to making TCU one of the best private universities in the nation. In his acceptance speech, Ferrari said he dreamt of improving the university’s academic reputation by developing more meaningful partnerships with the Fort Worth community and strengthening the schools and programs.

He had a vision of what he wanted to accomplish and a plan for how he would do it.

Then, like any successful leader or company CEO, he did what he had to do to make his vision a reality.

He motivated others to follow his lead, and then used their support to do what he wanted.

Ferrari thought TCU would be better served if we revamped the structure of schools and colleges. And it was done.

Ferrari thought TCU would be better served if we poured financial and technological support into the business school. And it was done.

Ferrari thinks TCU will be better served if our four-year graduation rates improve. University officials looked into comprehensive tuition. They liked what they saw. And so it was done.

Flat-rate tuition is designed to encourage more students to take an average of 15 credit hours, a full class load. Under the new policy, however, the freshman class and those who follow will be paying for an 18-hour class load.

What freshman takes 18 hours and does well?

What student, who has to work 20 hours a week and goes to school, takes 18 hours and does well?

If Ferrari had asked any of us, he might have heard us shouting, “TCU’s image may be better served, but we, the students, are not.”

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