A total of four students attended the Chancellor’s Student Town Hall meeting with Chancellor Victor Boschini and SGA president Cody Westphal in the East Private Dining located in the back of Market Square this Thursday at 12 p.m.
“I think our biggest attendance so far has been maybe eight students,” Boschini said.
The town hall meetings began in 2011 after a group of students who participated in the “Occupy Sadler” protests demanded that these meetings be held before the board sets tuition, Boschini said.
“Every time tuition increases, we also increase financial aid by at least the same amount and usually by more,” Boschini said. “Since 2008 we have had a 204% increase in financial aid and on the other hand since 2008 we have had a 55% increase in tuition. So that is a big difference.”
The purpose of the town hall meetings is to go over the future strategic plan for the university as well as give an opportunity for students to ask any questions or air any concerns they may have regarding the university.
“The Vision in Action: The Academy of Tomorrow is our current strategic plan,” Boschini said. “The academy of tomorrow focuses on three things that the board of trustees has mandated that we must do. The first being increase our academic profile and reputation. The second is to consider the size and balance of TCU and the third provide an optimal campus environment.”
The town hall meeting not only addressed issues such as tuition increases but also more important issues such as the TCU culture and how to get students more involved in student activities on campus.
“Why do people show up to Jason Derulo but not show up to a world renown speaker?” said SGA President, Cody Westphal. “These are the questions that plague me often. It is a problem and I don’t know what the answer is. I don’t know how to accomplish that totally but I do know how to work towards it and I think we are working towards it right now.”
Both Boschini and Westphal addressed the issue of the continued low student attendance at these town hall meetings.
“I think every kid on campus should be at this town all meeting and it is the most important thing on campus happening right now yet only four students show up,” Boschini said.
Cristina Mungilla a Strategic Communications major, and Business and Communication Studies double minor said, “I actually had a difficult time finding this event anywhere. I saw somewhere that said town hall meeting, but I actually had to do a Google search. I didn’t find it on ‘what2do@TCU’ or anything.”
Westphal said that they have tried every way to communicate to students about these town hall meetings.
“Unfortunately there is no magic bullet to communicate to everyone. As much as you want students to listen you cant make them. You can only try everything,” Westphal said.
For those students who missed out on the town hall meeting this week there will be another opportunity to attend next Friday at 12 p.m. in the East Private Dining located in Market Square.