With new equipment allowing improved DNA sequencing research on the TCU campus, students in the College of Science and Engineering will have increased opportunity in the job market upon graduation, said Phil Hartman, professor of biology.The DNA research that used to take weeks, will now take days with the 4300 DNA Analyzer, Hartman said.

"DNA sequencing is an important technique because it was only talked about theoretically," Hartman said. "Now graduate students will have hands-on experience. This makes our graduates more marketable."

'Twas 19 days before Christmas, and the Lady Frogs were a mess.Fresh off a 40-point loss to No. 2 Duke on Dec. 6, the TCU womens' basketball team was a disappointing 2-5 and had lost to three top 15 teams by a combined score of 249-157. After just seven games, the season was already slipping away.

Sophomore guard Adrianne Ross said that while things looked bleak early, the players forced themselves to keep a positive outlook.

"We looked at ours as one of the tougher nonconference schedules," Ross said. "We were mentally tough."

A new position and new responsibilities await the recently named assistant vice chancellor for marketing and communications as the spring semester begins.Tracy Syler-Jones, formerly the director of communications, will assist in the development of new media initiatives, refining school and college marketing and communication plans, and overseeing planning and implementation of institutional advertising. These duties are in addition to those of her former position as head of the Office of Communications.

To win the closest game in Houston Bowl history, the TCU Horned Frogs were forced to turn to the kicker that was partially responsible for putting the one in their 10-1 season.Junior reserve kicker Peter LoCoco, who was benched after missing three field goals in a Sept. 10 loss to SMU, nailed a 44-yarder with just over five minutes remaining to set the stage Saturday for the Frogs' 27-24 victory over the Iowa State Cyclones.

So, it's the time of year where I am supposed to say my goodbye. I've been putting this off for almost two weeks now. It's not that I am not excited to leave, because anyone who knows me realizes I've had a countdown going since the first day of school ... three months, 24 days; two months, 18 days; one month, 10 days; and now, finally, only 15 more days until I graduate. But there is a part of me that is sad to be leaving.It's amazing what I've learned since I've been here. Most has taken place outside of the classroom.

As utility prices continue a steady upward climb, local universities, including TCU, are coping with price increases by raising tuition, budgeting more for utility costs and renovating buildings to make them more energy-friendly.TCU is proposing to increase its $8 million utility budget by $1.5 million in the next fiscal year to accommodate the rising costs, said Brian Gutierrez, vice chancellor for finance and administration.