When new cheer coach Lisa Albert was offered the position, she wanted her husband Kier beside her.TCU alumni Kier and Lisa Albert said they hope their squads will have as many wonderful cheerleading memories at TCU as they did.

Lisa Albert is a former TCU cheerleader and now works as a communications specialist at the university.

"I was on campus, and I think that seemed to make sense to the cheerleaders who were in need of someone to coach them," she said. "(TCU) knew I had all of the credentials and qualifications they were looking for."

Being a victim of sexual assault or the friend of someone who was murdered are just some of the issues TCU's Victim Advocate Program addresses, said the program's director.The program, located in the Campus Life office, will undergo new changes such as implementing six educational programs around campus throughout the school year, said program director Tracy Tucker.

Of the new programs, three will be educational training for advocates. The other two will be programs open to advocates, and faculty and staff members.

Starting off their season during Fall Break, the Horned Frog swimming and diving teams look to begin on a positive note. The teams have been training hard for the start of this season.

"We have done everything from stadiums to four-mile runs," coach Richard Sybesma said. "We have also done a lot of cross training and obviously a lot of swimming."

The Frogs will first take on the McMurray Indians in Abilene Thursday. Later that day, they will travel to Midland to compete against the UT-Permian Basin Falcons.

Dog bones, catnip and fish food aren't the only ways to say thank you to your pets.The second annual Blessing of the Animals, starting at 5:15 p.m. today at the Robert Carr Chapel, will give students, faculty and staff the opportunity to do something special for their pets, said the Rev. Angela Kaufman, minister to the university.

The service will include songs, prayers, a message, snacks - for humans and pets - and blessings performed by campus ministers.

Former German ambassador to the United Nations said focusing on the spread of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism and democracy will help steady an unstable relationship between the United States and Europe Monday night.Hans Arnold, former U.N. ambassador, was invited by the modern language and political science programs.

Jeffrey Todd, associate professor of French and German said this was an opportunity for TCU to act on its mission statement.

The creator and artistic director of LINES Ballet in San Francisco will conclude his visit as the dance department's Green Honors Chair with a public question-and-answer session titled "Conversations on Dance" at 7 p.m. tonight.Alonzo King, choreographer, is the first Green Honors Chair the dance department has had since Miguel Mancillas visited in 2004.

Elizabeth Gillaspy, assistant professor of ballet, said King was chosen as the department's Green Chair because he is moving the art of ballet forward in a contemporary way and is articulate about his work.

Campus Crusade for Christ will be charged for the cost of cleaning up its chalk displays that advertised last week's AFTERdark ministry series, but the amount of the fine was not available Monday, TCU officials said. Most semesters, students see colorful displays of sidewalk-chalk advertisements for organizations and events happening on campus. According to the student handbook, chalking, putting flyers on trees or on sidewalks are all against university policy.

The Horned Frogs' soccer team will travel to Boise, Idaho to play a Sunday afternoon match against the Boise State Broncos. Last Saturday's 3-0 shutout of UTSA has TCU riding into the match with a 5-5 record.

The play of freshman striker Lizzy Karoly helped carry the team to victory logging two goals and an assist against UTSA. Karoly earned Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week for her performance in the game.

The season for recruiting has begun, and campus admissions counselors are at high schools around the world scouting prospective students.The heavy recruiting season is from early September to late November, and a group of about 15 staff members in admissions are visiting 35 states and 25 countries this year, said Ray Brown, dean of admissions.

Brown, who in previous years traveled to recruit in England and Scotland, just returned from a week-long trip visiting 12 high schools all over the Hawaiian Islands.

After a two week break from races, the men's and women's cross country teams will travel to Stillwater, Okla., to compete in the 70th Annual Cowboy Jamboree on Saturday.The women's team last competed at the North Texas Invitational Sept. 9, where they took second place. During the race, the team was paced by senior Calandra Stewart, who finished third overall, and freshman Carlene Mayfield, who finished fifth.

The men's team last competed at the Texas A&M Invitational Sept. 16 where they finished third in the 13-team field.

Faculty members across campus are working to help graduate students learn to become both good teachers and good researchers.While most colleges at TCU have no formal method of teaching graduate students how to become better teachers, professors are offering individualized support, said Jeff Coffer, professor and chair of the chemistry department.

The principles graduate professors were hired on are the same principles they are teaching their students, said Bonnie Blackwell, an assistant professor and the director of graduate studies for English.