By Lori Eshelman staff reporter Diversity, technology and globalization were cited by students as key issues that shape student perceptions of TCU, and this information will be presented to the Commission on the Future of TCU at its Nov. 17 kick-off. The input was gathered from three focus groups, composed of about 10 students each. The groups were hosted by the Strategic Marketing and Planning Committee, one of three background committees compiling preliminary information for the Commission. John Burton, associate professor of music and co-chairman of the student focus groups, said student input was gathered using a standard management technique that asked students to identify TCU's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. "Our mission is to provide the committees on the Future of TCU with a frame of reference as to where TCU is in the minds of students," he said. "We were just there to get a true opinion of what students think." Burton said the marketing committee invited a limited number of students to participate in the focus groups to ensure the groups were small enough that participants felt they could express their thoughts but large enough to get a varied opinion. "We were not trying to limit it to a particular type of student," Burton said. "We tried to get a cross-section of students from the graduate area as well as the undergraduate area." Transfer students, commuter students, traditional on-campus students, distance learning students and older students were selected to participate in the last two sessions, Burton said. However, the first focus group was restricted to members of Intercom, a committee composed of the presidents of campus organizations who together represent the student body to the TCU Board of Trustees. Although using Intercom for the first focus group limited the input to that of the student leaders, it was the easiest and quickest way to assemble a fairly good representation of the student population, Burton said. He said the students presented very vocal and diverse opinions. Larry Lauer, associate vice chancellor of communications and public affairs, said the students selected for the focus groups are not necessarily the same students who will be members of the commission's 17 task forces. The preliminary committees are completely separate from the commission, he said. "The students who will be on the actual Commission will be selected by the office of the vice chancellor for student affairs from a pool of students recommended to them by the Student Government (Association) president," Lauer said. SGA President Ben Alexander said he compiled his list this summer, and the student affairs office is currently placing the students on task forces within the commission. "I was looking for a wide range of students from across the campus who represent different interests, experiences and visions of what TCU needs to be successful in the coming millennium," he said. Students selected for the last two focus groups were not picked from Alexander's list, Burton said. The names were gathered by recommendations from individual academic departments, he said. Burton said similar focus groups are being held for alumni, faculty and staff. The ideas and perceptions will be presented to the commission in four separate summaries. The commission will use that information to put together surveys to be given out to a wider sample population.
Lori Eshelman
By Carey Hix staff reporter The Monday-Wednesday-Friday Jazz Ensemble has been invited to play this summer at the internationally recognized Montreux Jazz Festival, the oldest and largest jazz festival in the world. In addition to playing at the festival, which will be held in Montreux, Switzerland, the ensemble will play at the Vienna Jazz Festival in Vienna, Austria. Ensemble members will play in the musical celebrations from July 4 to 15. The Montreux Jazz Festival is predominantly for professional jazz ensembles, but a few college bands have been invited to play, said Curt Wilson, director of jazz studies. Next summer's performance will be TCU's second time to perform during the festival. The first was in 1991. "We'll be around a lot of heavyweights," Wilson said. "In fact, last time we were there, Quincy Jones conducted for Ray Charles, and their fourth trombone player didn't show up, so my fourth trombone player got to play with Quincy Jones and Ray Charles." There are 62 music majors and non-majors currently involved in three jazz ensembles at TCU: the M-W-F Jazz Ensemble, the Tuesday-Thursday Jazz Ensemble and an unnamed ensemble, which was formed this year because of the increasing number of students interested. The M-W-F Jazz Ensemble was the only one to audition for the festival by submitting a performance tape. "To get invited to the event is a really big deal, and we're really flattered to be invited," said Paul Russell, a senior trombone performance major. "And that the chancellor and everybody's encouraging us to go is great." M-W-F Jazz Ensemble members said they are excited about the trip, especially since it will include visits to Prague, Salzburg and possibly Budapest. "I'm personally excited to be going on the trip because it's an opportunity to play not just one main event, but to play a tour all over Europe. It's going to be a very involved experience for the band," said John Alstrin, a senior music education major and member of the band. "The band has traveled before, and we have a lot of fun traveling together. We've come a long way and made a name for ourselves nationally." The students will finance part of their trips and plan to pay for the remainder through fund-raising and aid from the university. "I got a lot of encouragement from (Chancellor Michael R.) Ferrari, and he is supporting us 100 percent on this; that is very encouraging," Wilson said.
Staff reporter Alan Melson contributed to this report.
Carey Hix
By Matt Welnack staff reporter This year's freshman class is the second largest in the 1990s, according to preliminary reports. About 1,425 freshmen entered TCU this fall, second behind the 1,463 freshmen who enrolled in 1997. The final numbers and a breakdown of demographics will not be available for another two weeks because of complications with the PeopleSoft system, said Jim Atwood, assistant to the dean of admissions and religion instructor. Atwood said admissions staff members are not trying to increase the total number of freshmen accepted but are trying to increase diversity and academic prestige within the entering classes. The admissions staff is trying to recruit a better class by bringing students who show more leadership potential to the university, he said. "One of the big things on campus, for students and faculty, is to see what we can do not just as a community behind the walls, but what can we do with Fort Worth," Atwood said. He said a renewed emphasis by TCU is to be a responsible member of the North Texas community. He said a newly formed "diversity action team" will go out into the community and see how TCU can be a better neighbor. Atwood also said the admissions staff is trying to determine how to better explain what TCU has to offer to local schools. He said he would like to see the stereotype that only rich students attend TCU dissolved. "I would like to see, not just as an admissions officer, but as a human being, this university open to any qualified student academically and personally," Atwood said. "People want to make a difference." In addition, Atwood said university officials hope to bring more diversity to entering classes. "What we are trying to do, of course, is draw students from a broader area, and we're doing pretty well on that," he said. Darron Turner, director of minority affairs, agreed, saying the admissions staff has done a good job of increasing diversity in this year's freshman class. And he said he sees more students interacting with each other as compared to last year. "They're definitely making concerted efforts (to increase diversity)," Turner said. "(Those efforts) are starting to pay off, and we can see that now." Turner said recruiters have done a better job of recruiting prospective students. He said the admissions staff is working closer with several predominantly minority schools around Fort Worth, such as Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School, Northside High School and Trimble Technical High School. Mike Scott, director of scholarships and financial aid, said he would also like to help increase diversity by offering minority students more financial aid opportunities. In the past university financial aid officials were limited in what they could do because of the Hopwood case. It states that a school cannot use ethnicity as a basis for admissions decisions. Former Texas Attorney General Dan Morales made an interpretation of the ruling, saying it also applied to financial aid offices. Because of this ruling, the financial aid office cannot offer more money to minorities in an attempt to get them to attend TCU, Scott said. However, current Texas Attorney General John Cornyn withdrew Morales' opinion. He advised universities not to implement new programs but to wait on the resolution of the Hopwood case in the U.S. Court of Appeals in the 5th Circuit.
Matt Welnack
By Alan Melson staff reporter Her signs, displaying handwritten messages with bold proclamations, are clearly visible from cars passing by on Granbury Road. "Trinity Beast 666 Cult Stop Killing God's People." "Jesus Rules the Earth." She sleeps during the day and spends her nights out in her yard on Winfield Avenue, screaming at the passing vehicles or at the Trinity Industries Inc. building across the street from her backyard.
"They began this activity in December 1993, making noise around the clock, and now they are sending messages through the airplanes flying overhead," Latrace said. Linda Sickels, a corporate vice president for Trinity Industries, said the plant located off Granbury Road is not currently in operation. "She hasn't voiced any concerns directly to us, so I would hate to comment on any of these issues," Sickels said. "If she would contact us, I would be happy to address her concerns." Known simply to her neighbors as "Agnes," she said she has suffered for being outspoken about her views. She pointed to her broken windows, now boarded up, the pockmarks in her exterior wall and the various stains on her wall from eggs thrown by people driving by. She has even been shot by a BB gun from a passing car while she was sitting in her back yard, Agnes said. Officer Matt Welch, the Fort Worth Police Department liaison to TCU, said Agnes has indeed become a convenient target because her house is so unique. "Because of the display she has out there, she has certainly been a target for vandalism," Welch said. "It's frustrating to us because if she would take that stuff down, people wouldn't notice her. But she feels that it is necessary." Welch, who is based at the Berry Street police storefront, said Agnes generates a large number of calls to the department. "There are probably more calls to her house than any other business or residence in that police beat," Welch said. "Some are initiated by her, and many others are from other people calling in about her." Agnes, a petite woman with deeply-tanned skin and long silver hair, is originally from Athens, Greece. She said she was a secretary for the Greek government and met her husband while working there. He brought her to the United States, and they settled in Fort Worth. She said she and her husband divorced in 1979, and she moved into the house off of Granbury Road a short time later. "Everything here was fine until 1993, when the noises started from across Granbury," she said. "I put the first signs on my fence in July 1995 to inform the public of the bad activities going on over at Trinity. "The first attack on my house came a month later. At 12:30 a.m., three men came up to my front porch and ripped down a cross I had hanging on my door and smashed it. From then on, it just got worse." A neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said the residents of Winfield Avenue have learned to deal with the attention, but the damage to Agnes' home is an unfortunate result. "It's a fun weekend thing to do for some people," the neighbor said. "They drive by, honk, stop, race their motors, throw things it just seems to antagonize her more and more." Early Wednesday morning, someone smashed out every window on Agnes' car, which was sitting in her driveway in front of her home. She said she was upset by the latest attack, but she has come to expect it. "They don't even know me," she said. "They destroy what is here for fun, for their convenience." Welch said the city code enforcement division has investigated Agnes but does not do much about her signs. Agnes said she wishes more people would respect her faith, stop bothering her and help her in her quest. "I just thank God that I have my health," she said, wiping tears from her eyes. "They have tried to destroy me, and they may break me physically, but they will never break my spirit or my faith in God and Jesus Christ."
Alan Melson |
Agnes Latrace has spent almost six years on a one-woman
quest to tell the world about her complaint with Trinity. She said she
believes Trinity Industries is somehow involved with the devil's work,
and she must fight their evil influence.| The TCU Daily Skiff © 1998, 1999 Credits |