Video: Boschini addresses students and concerns

Chancellor Boschini agreed with students’ protests for the need for greater transparency of decisions that impact students during the Occupy Sadler movement Thursday.

“We realized that it may have looked like we weren’t being transparent, but the board did this in the same way that they have done it every year for the past five years,” Chancellor Boschini said. “If we really wanted to not be transparent, they would do it in the spring semester like many universities do, and we would just tell you next fall what you owe us. But we do it early to give you a chance to respond to it.”

A student in the crowd expressed feelings of being “ambushed” by the e-mail sent out Tuesday, informing students of the 6.5 percent tuition increase.

Boschini replied, agreeing to have a more open discussion to prevent these reactions in the future.

“We will definitely have an open forum next year. That is a great idea, and I will be happy to do that,” he said.

Students also voiced concerns over how tuition was distributed, and requested a grandfather clause to prevent tuition rates increasing after enrollment and an increase in merit-based scholarships.

Boschini said the distribution of tuition was primarily for hiring new faculty and staff and increasing existing salaries and benefits.

Students like the 14:1 faculty ratio at the university, and to maintain that new faculty needs to be hired, which costs money, Boschini said.

First-year film, television and digital media major Austin Dyer said he would not be able to attend TCU next year because he could not afford the tuition increase. 

“I would like the grandfather clause,” he said. “I would be more enticed to stay here if I was still paying the same price, but the price increased, and that’s a big incentive to leave.”

Boschini replied to his concern.

“I think what it does is it punishes the successive years of students,” he said. “One of the reasons we got rid of it is because the underclassmen were complaining.”

Tuition was also spent on increasing need-based financial aid, Boschini said, responding to merit-based scholarship requests.

“You got [a merit-based scholarship] because you’re smart, not because you’re poor or you’re needy,” he said. “Just fill out the FAFSA, and go in and talk to Mr. Scott.”

Boschini encouraged students to contact the Student Government Association to voice their opinions. SGA meets with the board of trustees before and after decisions are made, he said.

Jackie Wheeler, former SGA president, attended the Occupy Sadler protest.

“If there is anything (SGA) needs to do, we will do it for them,” Wheeler said.

While none of the demands were met after talks had concluded, students had a chance to voice their concerns to the administration, Michael Millican, a sophomore political science major and organizer of the Occupy Salder movement said.

“We appreciate the chancellor coming out and addressing our concerns and questions,” he said. “Obviously, we knew our demands cannot be met, but we are just glad that this process enabled us to have an open discussion where there wasn’t one before, so I think that the rally was successful.”

The chancellor said he was happy to attend Occupy Sadler and respond to students’ concerns.

“There are 9,000 of you and one of me, so hello, I want you to be happy because it will stop you from being mad at me,” Boschini joked.