In the 2003-2004 academic year, nearly 8,000 loans-- - totaling more than $50 million- - were taken out by TCU students, according to a report from the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corp., a nonprofit agency that coordinates transactions between schools and banks in Texas.The report states that the average loan each student takes out for the year was more than $11,000.

The number of students borrowing money to pay for school, and the amount they are borrowing, has more than doubled in the last 10 years, according to a new report from the American Council on Education.

The events of Frog Family Weekend give old and new friends a chance to catch up and shoot the breeze. Or, for the women's rifle team, just shoot.The TCU rifle team will host its 15th annual Horned Frog Invitational this weekend, competing against New Mexico Military Institute, Nevada, Texas-El Paso and Texas A&M.

Some of the shooters said they have set individual goals of improvement.

"I am looking to give myself a good starting basis," freshman Tanya Gorin said.

John Roberts' confirmation as the 17th chief justice of the United States is a significant achievement for the Bush administration, a political science professor said Thursday."John Roberts was an ideal choice for Bush," political science professor Donald Jackson said. "The president wants to leave a lasting impact on the Supreme Court and nominating a young chief justice is a great way to do that. He could serve for twenty years or more."

When resident assistants from campus residence halls gathered Wednesday night in Milton Daniel Hall, a collection of donations for hurricane victims punctuated the standard fare of awards and announcements.Barbara Hawkins, the associate director of residential life, said the RA all-hall is basically for RAs on campus to get together, make announcements and give out individual awards.

More than 50 students filled the Brown-Lupton Student Center Lounge Thursday to hear concerns TCU's NAACP chapter has with diversity on campus.The forum was a follow-up to last year's April meeting during which the chapter began its campaign for diversity awareness.

"The NAACP at TCU has collaborated the Chancellor (Victor) Boschini and we are at the point of implementation and action," said Allison Robinson, vice president of the chapter. "We need student participation from all organizations in the TCU community."

The TCU men's and women's cross country teams will compete this weekend in the North Texas Invitational in Denton."This is one of the smaller meets we will compete in this year," Senior Katrina Zielinski said.

Cross country head coach Patrick Cunniff said this weekend's meet will be very interesting.

"I have not received a final list of the number of schools who will be competing this weekend," Cunniff said. "The level of competition will be determined by the schools that actually compete."

The Horned Frog soccer team will host Sam Houston State and Boise State over the weekend at Garvey-Rosenthal Stadium.The game against Sam Houston State, originally to be played last Sunday, was rescheduled...

University newspaper: place where all students can express opinionsYesterday's diversity forum organized by the TCU chapter of the NAACP was a valuable dialogue between students and the administration....