Done Deal
New chancellor is appointed
By Jacque Nguyen
Staff Reporter

Victor J. Boschini Jr. was officially announced as the 10th chancellor in TCU’s 130-year history by the Board of Trustees at a press conference Thursday.

“I feel very honored and humbled,” Boschini said. “I’m going to have a hard time containing my excitement until June 1.”

Chairman of the Board John Roach introduced Boschini as one of the nation’s brightest, young and energetic university administrators after the Board voted unanimously to appoint him chancellor, trustees said.
Boschini said he was nominated for the position by one of his former trustees who told him she knew of a campus that was almost too good to be true.

“I told her she was wrong,” he said. “TCU is not a place that is too good to be true, it is too good not to be even better.”

He said he was not a candidate for any other job.

“I wasn’t looking for a job; I was looking for this job,” he said.

Three of the former chancellors were in attendance, including James M. Moudy, William E. Tucker and Michael Ferrari.

Boschini said he and his wife, Megan, who was not in attendance, are very excited about becoming a part of the Fort Worth community. He said he and his family will be moving to Fort Worth around June 1.

He urged everyone to reach out and help him and his family learn about TCU.

“Please invite me into your heads, please invite me into your hearts and please invite me into your homes,” he said. “I promise you, I will do the same with you.”

Chairman of the Search Committee R. Denny Alexander said they received more than 100 nominations in response to advertisements in key publications. He said they contacted seven of the nominees for interviews, narrowed the search down to three final candidates of which one was invited for a full campus visit Wednesday.

“The whole process has gone very well,” Megan Boschini said from their home in Illinois. “We appreciate that everything was kept so confidential. I’m sure it was hard on TCU and to spring it on (ISU) so late is tough too, but in the long run, it really makes it easier on the family.”

Boschini said he wants to work on TCU’s national visibility.

“(TCU) has every element in place — the faculty and the student body,” he said. “You just need to take it out on a national scope.”
He said his top priority will never be fund raising. He said the priority will be the long-term welfare of the university but said fund raising is one way to ensure that viability.

Boschini launched a fund-raising campaign, Redefining “normal:” The Campaign for Illinois State University, in 2000. The campaign had exceeded $60 million as of December.
“He’s a wonderful fund-raiser,” Megan Boschini said. “We’ve found that with a positive attitude with alumni and donors they’re more than willing (to help financially).”

Trustee Joan Rogers said she felt confident in Boschini because of his experience.

“We are thrilled to death to have him,” she said. “We are all very impressed with his energy, enthusiasm and youth.”
Sociology instructor Keith Whitworth said faculty members who have met with Boschini have spoken very highly of him.

“It seems he almost immediately gained everyone’s respect and confidence, which is not an easy task,” he said.
Ferrari said he has mixed emotions during this transition period but is confident in the new chancellor.

“I am pleased, no, more than pleased, I am excited about the new chancellor,” he said.
Peter Eidenberg, a senior political science major, said he is excited about how young and energetic Boschini is, but is also worried about his experience level and how well prepared he is for the job.
“He’s got big shoes to fill, a lot of expectations to meet and a big challenge to rise to,” he said.

Jacque Nguyen
j.f.nguyen@tcu.edu

credits

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