The Big Switch
Chancellor, student change places for a day
By Blair Busch
Staff Reporter

Freshman premajor Matt Chisholm did not attend his classes Friday, but not because he stayed out too late the night before. Instead, he traded places with Chancellor Victor Boschini during The Big Switch.

“I have a new appreciation for what the chancellor does,” Chisholm said. “If his usual day is anything like mine (on Friday), then they have him running around all the time.”

The Student Foundation raffled off the chance for a student to become the chancellor for a day during The Big Switch. Raffle tickets were sold for $1 in the Student Center.

Chisholm met with Boschini at 8:15 a.m. in the Student Center and then had breakfast with members of the Student Foundation in The Main.

“We talked about the (Student Government Association) elections because no one knew who won,” Chisholm said.

Chisholm went to the chancellor’s office and met with assistants to the chancellor, Mary Nell Kirk and Jean Walbridge, who gave him his schedule for the day.

The schedule included 30-minute meetings with Vice Chancellor of University Advancement Bronson Davis, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Don Mills, Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Student Development Barbara Herman, and Athletics director Eric Hyman.

“I learned how much money goes through TCU,” Chisholm said. “They informed me of the problems, like parking, they face on a daily basis.”

While Chisholm was getting acquainted with the chancellor’s office, Boschini was sitting in a 9 a.m. Selling and Sales Management class taught by Robert Akin.

“It was a great class,” Boschini said. “They had a guest speaker who talked about the highs and lows of starting her own company and being an entrepreneur.”

Chisholm was asking Mills about parking while Boschini was trying to take notes in Douglas Butler’s Intro to Microeconomics class at 10 a.m. Boschini said he took notes, but he doubts Chisholm will want to use them.

“My impression from both classes was that we are fortunate to have such great teachers on our campus,” Boschini said.

“I was just thinking that I hoped that our students realized that, but, I also thought maybe that is something that comes with age...I probably did not realize how lucky I was at 19 either.”