While many universities view teaching assistants as a reason for low retention rates in science programs, some students and faculty at TCU view them as an additional resource rather than a hindrance.Professors are responsible for creating syllabi and teaching courses, said Dianna Newbern, instructor of psychology, but graduate TA's in the College of Science and Engineering have office hours and often help with labs.

Undergraduate TA's are selected in the spring to assist with labs for the next school year, said Sarah Stack, a TA for principles of life science.

Merchandise will soon be moved out of the TCU Bookstore and into trailers located in the bookstore parking lot in order to prepare for construction, said Lisa Lewis, the store's general manager.The trailers, which open Feb. 27, will provide about a quarter of the space the current bookstore has. Merchandise from the general reading and textbook sections of the bookstore will not be available but school supplies and clothing will, Lewis said.

Cody Visone, a junior entrepreneurial management major, said he is concerned with how the trailers will look to the passersby.

The live music scene in Dallas might be struggling, but business has never been better in Fort Worth. "Business is fantastic and booming," said Wesley Hathaway, co-owner of the Fort Worth venue the Ridglea Theater.

Trees, located in Dallas' Deep Ellum, is the most recent club to close its' doors - part of trend in the city.

Other clubs in the area may be closing as well, including the Gypsy Tea Room, the Green Room and Jeroboam all of which have already filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Spoon continues to be one of indie rock's most consistently top-notch acts and more pertinently, one of Texas' finest bands.Spanning three tracks and one video, Spoon's most recent EP, "Sister Jack," is more than the latest edition to a completist's collection.

At just under 14 minutes, the single offers 2005's "Gimme Fiction" standout track "Sister Jack," a remix of "I Turn My Camera On" by John McEntire and a previously unreleased track, "Sunday Morning Wednesday Night."

The video can be found on the disc, in your choice of two different dimensions.

The TCU Dining Services' staff and administration said they have made many improvements to campus eateries, but some students say they want to see even more changes and additions to the dining options...

An overweight American is determined to shed a few pounds but realizes that poses a few problems. Exercise? Sorry, sweat stings his eyes. Fruits and vegetables? Only if they come deep fried. Self control?...

After being the first person selected from TCU for Junior Fellow in the American Academy of Political and Social Science, a TCU graduate has the opportunity to do something only 10 people in the nation will be able to do.Haley Swedlund, who graduated in May 2005 with a political science degree, will be competing with other distinguished honorees for the Undergraduate Research Award for 2006.

Belle and Sebastian look to have a busy year planned. Along with gearing up for their longest-ever U.S. tour, the Glaswegian popsters look to release "The Life Pursuit" on Feb. 5 as their sixth full-length record. The lead-off single, "Funny Little Frog," nods to the band's acoustic popster past but also expounds on the formula with more elegant rhythms and hooks that sound straight out of the '70s. "Frog" plays to Belle and Sebastian's strengths, strong hooks and catchy melodies.Beth Orton, "Conceived," from "Comfort of Strangers"

Police are investigating a false fire alarm that turned into a drug search in one of the third-floor rooms of Martin-Moore Hall on Friday.It was around midnight when an alarm drew TCU police officers Richard Teakell and Walker Johnson to the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house. Johnson, who was the first to arrive, found the activated fire alarm in a hallway near a room, according to a TCU police report.

The media relations exodus to the Southeastern Conference continues. Matt Freed, assistant director of media relations, announced Monday that he will be resigning from his position at TCU and taking a similar job at the University of South Carolina.

Freed will join ex-Horned Frogs Eric Hyman, athletics director; Steve Fink, director of media relations; and Kevin O'Connell, executive associate athletics director, who all left for SC following the 2004-2005 academic year.