Dear Senator,I doubt you will actually read this note, but I wanted someone in your campaign to know how happy I am. You see, I voted for the first time Tuesday. I am 20 years old and live in Fort Worth....

The other day, the university tested its much-anticipated TCU Alert System. In an instant, most of the campus population received text messages and e-mails to be used as a preliminary mass message system. The concept seems to have worked thus far, allowing the administration to quickly notify students, faculty and staff about any pressing matters. These can range from weather fiascoes, changes in school functions and other disasters on campus.

Last season, the Frogs, coming off of two straight home victories, went on the road to Laramie, Wyo., to face the Wyoming Cowboys.

The Cowboys proceeded to shock the Frogs and pull off a 24-21 upset.

"When we played them last year, they had two weeks to prepare and embarrassed us," head coach Gary Patterson said.

The Cowboys rushed for 232 yards in that contest, including two 100-yard rushers. The Frogs have allowed 168 yards rushing in eight games this season.

While the campus played host to alumnus for homecoming weekend, Jimmy Young was throwing a coming out party of his own.

The sophomore wide receiver posted a school record 226 receiving yards on five catches for three touchdowns in the Frogs' 54-7 rout of the University of Wyoming Cowboys.

"It feels great, but it's going to be something I have to forget about here in these next weeks and just put my focus on UNLV," Young said.

In this election year, political views are everywhere, but the university discourages professors from expressing their personal political views in the classroom. Although no specific policy forbids such talk, Nowell Donovan, provost and vice chancellor for student affairs, said it could interfere with the Academic Freedom and Faculty Responsibility section of the faculty handbook. This policy is commendable and should be maintained to ensure that professors do not push their political leanings on students.

The Brown-Lupton University Union will be a county early voting station from Monday through Friday next week. The hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. In the meantime, here are some tips if you are confused about how to vote.

For early voting on campus, students will need to bring their voter registration card and a photo ID. For voting stations in the area, most forms of photo identification will be taken, said Steve Raborn, Tarrant County elections administrator.

Despite the current economic situation, the university does not expect graduate enrollment to change drastically, a university official said.

Bonnie Melhart, associate provost for academic affairs, said the university still has students seeking a graduate degree because it's a credential that will help advance their careers.

"In an uncertain economic time, people don't know exactly what to invest in," Melhart said. "But we don't expect that we're going to see any difference here than we did before."

It's been more than a month since Hurricane Ike caused massive destruction in the Galveston and Houston areas, but TCU students, both present and future, who were affected, are still working to rebuild their lives.

In the midst of this rebuilding, high school seniors still face the task of making plans for their futures. TCU's admissions department is helping them in their efforts by waiving the $40 early action application fee for those affected by the storm. The office extended the deadline for all students to apply under early action from Nov. 1 to Nov. 15.