By Tealy Dippel staff reporter The House of Student Representatives unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday encouraging TCU administrators to create a safer intersection at South University Drive and Bowie Street, where a TCU student was seriously injured in a hit-and-run Nov. 9. Carlo Capua, chairman of the Permanent Improvements Committee, and Richard Segui, a town representative, submitted the resolution to House hoping to help prevent another accident at what they called "a hazardous intersection." Tokio Sasaki, a freshman psychology major from Tokyo, Japan, was hit by a car at the intersection and carried almost 30 feet on South University. "Since we belong to the student body, we have the power to get something started before something else dramatic happens, and we don't want someone to die before it does," Segui said. Segui went to Capua a few days before the hit-and-run accident with concerns about the dangers of the intersection, Segui said, but it was too late to draft legislation for that week's House meeting. Sasaki was hit the following Monday. "Tokio's accident should be a message to the school and the student body that something needs to be done about the intersection," Segui said. Capua said the resolution, which suggests that a stop sign and a speed bump be installed, was amended to include a school zone as possible solutions to help make the intersection more safe for those crossing. The resolution is proof that students care about one another and the community, he said. "We took a student concern and passed the resolution as a unified voice to make a safer campus," Capua said. SGA President Ben Alexander said the resolution came out of a general concern for the student injured and for others who cross the intersection. "Anytime House passes a bill or resolution, it shows it has the emphatic support of the student body," he said. The resolution will go to the administration today, and Alexander said he hopes the administration can take the resolution to the city of Fort Worth. In other House business, the resolution to support changing the finals schedule for Spring 2000 was put aside and used as an informational handout and not as a piece of legislation. House members were encouraged to use the handout as a source of information on the subject because the Academic Affairs Committee has decided to research the topic further and acquire more student input before deciding to propose possible changes.
Tealy Dippel
Jeri Petersen senior reporter With the Sept. 13 announcement of the establishment of an education center at the Alliance Development north of Fort Worth, TCU moved beyond the confines of University Drive. Like the University of North Texas, Texas Wesleyan University and the University of Texas at Arlington, TCU is taking education into the Fort Worth community. Established in 1873, TCU had nearly a 20-year head start on the three other universities. But TCU was the last of the four to establish an education site away from the main campus.
According to this year's college rankings in U.S. News & World Report, TCU ranks higher than the other three universities in graduation rate, SAT/ACT scores, freshman retention rate and alumni contribution rate. Ranked in the second tier in the U.S. News report, TCU made a good showing nationally. Nevertheless, with several high-quality schools in the area from which to choose, local students need good reasons to come to TCU. Expanding at the right time William H. Koehler, vice chancellor for academic affairs, said that in recent years, prospective students are more price-conscious, but they are also looking for a specific kind of environment. "Those who want a residential experience are more likely to find it in a private school," he said. "UNT and UTA are more commuter schools. We manage to compete for those who want smaller size. As for TWU, I think our breadth is larger in degree options, and although they are a residential school, we are more so." Koehler acknowledged that except for efforts of the M.J. Neeley School of Business, TCU has done little to expand into the community. "Campuswide, (the attitude) has been, 'You come to us,'" he said. "The Alliance Center is a shift in paradigm. We're going to ask organizations in the area what they need - and I'm not just talking about businesses. It will be municipalities, businesses, health care organizations. We will offer all kinds of classes and training, not just for business." Koehler said TCU has not established a local satellite campus until now for a variety of reasons. "We have talked about a downtown campus before," Koehler said. "We were approached by a developer downtown about having a site in a bank building. We have offered courses downtown during the lunch hour and at night. "But we have found that folks who work downtown prefer to come to a college campus for the classroom experience rather than going to a class in a high-rise. It just hasn't been advantageous for us to deliver classes off-campus." But the growth and corporate presence in the Alliance corridor and the advancement in technology made the TCUglobalcenter a natural step, Koehler said. "That is a real boom area with regard to business, and we are of the opinion that it will continue," Koehler said. "It is geographically closer to North Texas, and it's not that far from SMU, either. But it's actually in Fort Worth, and we're a Fort Worth university, so it seemed like a natural fit." TCU beyond University Drive Although the TCUglobalcenter at Alliance is the first off-campus site for TCU, the university's roots in the community run deep. Representatives from nearly all the major businesses in Fort Worth serve on boards or advisory councils at TCU. John V. Roach, former CEO of Tandy Corp., serves as chairman of the board of trustees of TCU. In 1988, Roach approached Chancellor William Tucker about collaborating with Tandy on a program to reward outstanding high school math, science and technology students and teachers. The nationwide program, known as the Tandy Technology Scholars Program, has awarded $3.5 million over 10 years. Tandy/RadioShack provides the award money, and TCU administers the program. Kaye Thornton, director of Tandy/RadioShack Teacher Awards at TCU, said a team of eight to 11 evaluators made up of TCU faculty plus a national advisory council of distinguished educators across the United States helps select applicants. "The first 10 years of the program we gave 100 students $1,000 each and 100 teachers $2,500 each," she said. "When the new CEO, Leonard H. Roberts, came on board in January, Tandy/RadioShack decided that because of a teacher shortage, they wanted to focus on high school teachers. "Beginning this year, they are no longer giving student awards. This year 100 teachers across the country will receive $3,000 and a computer. A new category will allow teachers with two to three years of experience to compete for a smaller award." Teaming up Several other large Fort Worth-based corporations also have relationships with TCU. Officials from Alcon Laboratories and Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems serve on various boards and advisory committees at TCU. Norman Robbins, manager of community relations at Lockheed Martin, said his company has relationships with the School of Education, the School of Business and the engineering department. "We have a collaboration involving our company, the School of Education and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History called 'Hands-On Science,'" Robbins said. "It is a science learning lab at the museum that stimulates kids' natural curiosity in science through hands-on activities. While kids are playing, teachers can observe from another room and take what they learn about the way kids play with science activities back to the classroom." Robbins said that Lockheed also helps fund a yearly communications workshop for business communicators in conjunction with the School of Business. James D. Engelland, a vice president and chief engineer at Lockheed, serves on the Board of Advisors of the engineering department. Lockheed President Dain M. Hancock serves on the M.J. Neeley International Board of Visitors. The International Board of Visitors is a group of prominent business leaders who share their expertise with students and faculty of the business school. The board usually meets once each semester with key faculty members and administrators. Board members also interact with students as mentors or guest lecturers. Timothy Sear, president and CEO of Alcon Laboratories and Ed Schollmaier, retired president and CEO, also serve on the Neeley International Board of Visitors. Schollmaier is also on the TCU Board of Trustees. TCU means business The Schollmaier Foundation funded the conversion of the School of Music's piano studies program to an all-Steinway school in 1997. TCU became the 10th institution nationwide to join the elite roster of all-Steinway schools. Schollmaier's wife, Rae, heads the foundation and is a member of the International Board of Visitors of the College of Fine Arts and Communication. Mary Dulle, director of corporate communications at Alcon, said Alcon executives frequently use the corporate training courses offered by the School of Business. "Alcon was founded in 1947, and we've probably had dealings with TCU from the early days," Dulle said. "We are a research-based institution, and TCU is an excellent school for our needs." Dulle said Alcon utilizes TCU's corporate training programs at the Charles Tandy American Enterprise Center, one of the business school's educational programs for business leaders. "We have a strong relationship with the business school," she said. "We hire MBA candidates as interns on a frequent basis. In fact, a good percentage of those are hired as employees once they graduate." The Neeley School appears to be the main vehicle for making TCU's presence felt locally and internationally. Koehler said the School of Business already has partnerships with governments and schools in countries around the world, including Peru, Argentina, Hungary, Japan, France and England. "We've got to go beyond the community to reach a higher level of visibility and prestige," Koehler said. "To gain prestige in the community, you need community support. To gain prestige in the nation, national support is needed, and so on."
Jeri Petersen
By Kris Gutierrez staff reporter Although meningococcal meningitis strikes 2,800 Americans each year, Dr. John Terrell, director of the Brown Lupton Health Center, said the disease hasn't been a recent problem at TCU. "I've been here over 25 years, and I've never seen a case reported," he said. Meningitis, an extremely contagious disease, comes in two forms, viral and bacterial. It enters the body through the nose and throat and spreads quickly. In both cases, viral and bacterial, symptoms are difficult to distinguish, and the disease spreads easily through coughing and sneezing. "In the early phases of the disease, it can act like anything from a cold to a sore throat," Terrell said. "That's the hard thing about it. Early on, it's a very difficult disease to diagnose." Meningitis is a potentially deadly disease. During the 1998-99 academic year, 83 cases of meningitis were reported on college campuses nationwide. Of those 83, six people died.
"Once it's well established, you can crash and burn fast," Terrell said. "You can die within a matter of hours." According to the American Medical Association Web site, meningitis is an inflammation of the three layers of the brain, called the meninges. Once the disease attacks the brain, it becomes deadly. Terrell said what is strange about meningitis is that the carrier is not affected by the disease. Carriers can have the organism in their nose and throat for years, but they might only pass it on when they have respiratory problems, he said. A preventive vaccine is available at the Health Center for $75, but students should check with their primary physicians to see if they recommend it, Terrell said. Some doctors do not suggest the vaccination because it is only effective 70 percent of the time, and it may only last the patient three to four years. "If you take it as a freshman, and you're still living on campus as a senior, you may be unprotected," Terrell said. "We are not making that call for students. They should check with their family doctor." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices do not currently recommend the meningococcal vaccine for college students unless they will be traveling to countries where the disease is endemic. Terrell said an individual's own resistance is the best guard against meningitis. Protecting the body from the disease goes back to basic routines of getting enough rest and maintaining a healthy diet. "Pulling all-nighters and getting yourself worn down to a nub and not eating right, you're a perfect set-up for anything that walks by," Terrell said.
Kris Gutierrez
By Tealy Dippel staff reporter Attendance at meetings of the House of Student Representatives is higher this semester than in previous ones, and executive members said the increase is due to a combination of hard work and motivated representatives. This fall, there was a 90 percent turnout rate at House's first few Tuesday-evening meetings. House Parliamentarian Zuberi Williams said he thinks the attendance increase is a result of the administration of Student Government Association President Ben Alexander. "This semester, we have had the most-attended House meetings since I've been at TCU, and it's because of Ben's administration and leadership," Williams said. Alexander said keeping attendance up in House is always a challenge, but he said he is also impressed by the turnout this semester. "I think we have some strong leaders who have come in and joined House and are interested in the projects we are working on," he said. Alexander said it is important to make sure the projects House works on are the ones students are concerned about so representatives stay interested and feel like they are making a difference. SGA Secretary Heather Windham said some of the problems plaguing House attendance in previous years have been time commitment and under-representation of town reps, off-campus members of House and Greek reps. "In the past, some Greek organizations either have never sent a representative, or they have simply stopped coming to meeting," she said. Windham also said once people move off campus, they stop coming to meetings, but this year the number of town reps attending is better. In addition, House meetings have become more efficient in terms of condensing information and setting up a different attendance policy, Windham said. The key to keeping people interested, however, is keeping them involved, she said. "To keep attendance up, we need to campaign for House," Windham said. "When we make House a big deal, it encourages people to come and makes their time worthwhile." Sarah Burleson, House vice president, said she thinks House members simply have a better attitude this year and are becoming more accountable when deciding whether to miss meetings. "Committee chairmen think their jobs are important, and if those who lead are motivated, then others will have faith and be committed to House," she said. Burleson said she also attributes the higher attendance to the goals set for the semester by the Administrative Cabinet. Motivation, open-mindedness and creativity were among those goals set for House that are now fulfilled, she said. "The freshman class this year is motivated, and the performance level we wanted to see has been complemented by them," Burleson said. "The sophomore, juniors and seniors are also great because they are committed."
Tealy Dippel
By Carey Hix staff reporter The School of Music's Jazz Studies program will present a combo concert Wednesday, which will feature selected musicians from the Monday, Wednesday, Friday jazz ensemble. The concert, which will take place at 7:30 p.m. at PepsiCo Recital Hall in the Mary D. and F. Howard Walsh Center for Performing Arts, will feature a variety of jazz compositions in a show lasting about one hour. "(The performance will be) sort of short and sweet, right to the point," said Curt Wilson, a professor of music and director of jazz studies. The concert will be directed by Joey Carter, a graduate assistant in jazz studies, Wilson said. The players include: Mark Lara, a sophomore music education major, on alto saxophone; Todd Alonso, a sophomore biology major, on tenor saxophone; Phillip Padgett, a senior general studies major, on baritone saxophone; Donny Pinson, a senior music education major, on trombone; Joey Carter on piano; Jeremy Hull, a sophomore music education major, on bass; and Wes Griffin, a graduate student in music, on drums. The musicians will play about 10 pieces, Wilson said. The variety of music featured will make the concert a unique experience. The combo concert will focus on different aspects of the musical genre, Pinson said. "I think the combo concert is a different experience than a lot of other jazz concerts, because in the big band, the focus is on the ensembles playing But in a combo concert, the focus is on the improvisation," he said. "It's a very spontaneous type of music, and I think it's really exhilarating." The smaller size of the group of performers creates a more intimate concert setting, Carter said. "It's going to be focused around small group performances, either quartets, or maybe five-piece bands as opposed to a larger ensemble," he said. "There's going to be a basic rhythm section of piano, bass and drums that will stay consistent throughout, but each number will feature a different horn player or different combinations of horn players. "There will be a different group for every song, more or less."
Carey Hix
By Jaime Walker Skiff staff Studies have shown that nicotine is the second most addictive drug in the United States. For this reason, TCU students, faculty and staff will come together Thursday in an effort to encourage smokers to quit for at least 24 hours. "Our intention is to increase awareness on campus about the dangers of smoking and to offer smokers the support they need to quit the habit," said Angie Taylor, director of TCU's Alcohol and Drug Center. Taylor said Thursday's event is part of a nationwide campaign known as the Great American Smokeout. The effort, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, is now in its 23rd year. According to statistical reports from the American Cancer Society, the event has lead 22,500 people to stop smoking nationally. The Great American Smokeout will be the kick-off for the Alcohol and Drug Center's social norms campaign, "People are a lot like you." The marketing campaign, which includes informational posters, is based on the smoking survey the center conducted last spring, Taylor said. "The results are very interesting," she said. "They show a big contrast between the perceptions and the truth about smoking on campus." According to the survey, 72 percent of TCU students do not smoke, but students think that smoking is prevalent on campus. "Because of all the recent bans on smoking in public buildings, smokers now congregate outside," Taylor said. "It is not that there are more smokers, it is just that they all smoke in the same place." Taylor said the survey also revealed that 73 percent of TCU students prefer to socialize in a smoke-free environment. For that reason, TCU Champions - which, along with the Hyperfrogs, is helping with this year's Great American Smokeout - is sponsoring a petition to make the Reed-Sadler Mall a smoke-free zone. "The mall area is one of the most traveled areas on campus," Taylor said. "The students want to know how much support they can get for making part of that area non-smoking." Tom Spann, a sophomore economics major, said he thinks the smoke-free area is a good idea. "Right now, students who don't smoke can't come out there and just get fresh air," he said. "In order for it to work, though, TCU would need to make a community sacrifice." Tables will be set up asking TCU's smokers to commit to quitting for a day. Students who are interested will sign a pledge card verifying their effort. They will also be given a "Quit Kit." Each kit will contain a rubber band, mints and a toothpick to help smokers stay cigarette free. Students can also sign a banner in support of the campaign. Taylor, a former smoker, said she understands how difficult it is to quit. "We don't want to alienate anyone, but we want smokers to get the information and support they need," she said. "The key is to take the addiction one day at a time. If (smokers) can go 24 hours, they can go another 24 hours." According to a report by the American Cancer Society, one in five deaths in America is related to tobacco use. "I will encourage my friends to quit," Spann said. "Quitting can't hurt you, but not quitting can kill you."
Jaime Walker |
Texas Wesleyan moved its law school to a downtown campus
in 1997. UNT has a Health Sciences Center in Fort Worth and a campus in
south Dallas. UTA opened a north Fort Worth campus earlier this year.
Meningitis symptoms include vomiting, high fever, severe
headaches, a stiff neck, drowsiness and joint pain.| The TCU Daily Skiff © 1998, 1999 Credits |