Greetings TCU Parents & Families!
I hope you are all healthy and learning to adjust to our temporary “new normal.” The Chancellor wrote the students yesterday regarding the University’s plan to continue classes on-line until the end of the semester. Today, Craig Allen, director of housing & residence life, sent a letter to all residential students regarding accommodating students’ requests to officially move out of the residence halls. Both of these letters are below my comments. I believe the two letters together will answer about 90% of the questions you and your student(s) may have. Any subsequent emails to students regarding housing procedures and similar issues will be sent to you, as well.
Pleases feel comfortable emailing me as needed. We are here for you, too!
Go Frogs!
K
Kay Higgins, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Student Development/
Director, Parent & Family Programs
TCU Student Development Services
Email to students from Chancellor Boschini
March 19, 2020
Dear Horned Frogs,
Over these long and uncertain weeks, my days have been brightened by notes and emails from many of you. It seems like each day also brings news that pushes us closer to significant decisions that affect you, and our full campus community. I write today to inform you of our most recent, and very difficult decision, to move forward with online classes and virtual instruction for the remainder of the semester. I believe this is the safest and smartest decision for all of us.
The uncertainty of the spread and duration of COVID-19 in our area means that we must chart a responsible path forward for you, your parents, our faculty and staff, and our full community. In addition to your notes of encouragement, I’ve also listened to your concerns about health, friends, and academic aspirations. All of this has weighed heavily on me, and caused me to pause and really listen to my instincts and act accordingly.
We don’t have every answer today but please know that we are working around the clock to ensure this goes as smoothly as possible. I have seen first-hand the thorough planning our faculty and staff have done to take the Texas Christian University academic experience online. You’ll soon start receiving activities and news from Student Affairs to keep you connected during our time apart. It would be difficult to replicate the singular experience that the TCU campus offers, but we are going to do everything we can to maintain our purple connections. We will be together in spirit, if not in person.
I know you have many questions. In particular, we have not made a decision about commencement at this time but will do so soon. We remain hopeful that we are able to celebrate commencement for those seniors who have given us so much joy during their time with us at TCU.
The following is a helpful link right now, and you can expect more details from TCU leaders over the next few days:
We are here for you. Our campus is not “closed.” In fact, we are working night and day to make sure student services continue and are available in even more venues, since face-to-face is difficult to achieve with our new social distancing reality.
I want you to be on campus; I want you to be with the lifelong friends you’ve made. In the presence of our new reality however, I rely on your positivity, creativity, loyalty and sense of self to help us get through this together. In the midst of these unprecedented events, I believe we will be pulled closer together.
Overall, what I really want to say to all of you is that I am so sorry about all of this. I know this is not the way that any of us would have wanted to finish your Spring Semester at TCU. I am especially sorry for our seniors who now instead of long last looks at Frog Fountain and Amon G. Carter Stadium, senior dinners and reunions with friends from freshman year, tearful bittersweet goodbyes to special professors, they will now have an “electronic end” to their college careers. I realize the pain this will cause – and to the Class of 2020, I sincerely apologize. I promise you that if there was anything different I could do – I would.
Sincerely,
Victor J. Boschini, Jr.
Email to residential students from Craig D. Allen, Director, Housing & Residence Life
Dear Horned Frog residents and families,
Thank you for giving us a moment to re-set our plan for residential move-out. We have heard you and are working around the clock to support flexible options – whether you are ready to move out today or need more time.
We will not require move out by April 5. You may leave your items in your residence until further notice from us. We are delaying the move out process until we know more about the national guidance and travel restrictions. Until that time, you may retrieve belongings by appointment.
Several of you voiced your concerns and we apologize for any stress this may have caused you. Your safety and health are our most important concerns as we navigate this rapidly changing COVID-19 time period. We are doing our best to serve you, and we appreciate grace as we navigate these challenges.
See the below options:
1) You may still move out your belongings –
If you have already made plans to move out your belongings and would still like to do so, please contact Housing to schedule an appointment* and we will assist you. Please contact housing@tcu.edu for main campus housing or greeklife@tcu.edu for fraternity and sorority housing. Please include “Move Out Plan” in the subject line of your email to facilitate the review of your email.
2) We can ship your school supplies to you –
If you need school supply items from your room, please fill out the School Supplies Shipment Form. We are able to send school supply items to your preferred U.S. address, at no cost to you. As a reminder, you will be allowed two boxes.
3) If you require special accommodations –
We are working with some students who require special assistance. Should you need to remain on campus, please fill out the Stay On Campus Form. If you have already registered, please take a moment to re-register your details, as we recognize updated guidance has affected plans.
*Your TCU ID card access is on, and we do not plan to restrict your access. However, it is critically important that you inform us that you are coming to campus, before you arrive so we may plan accordingly. In an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, our custodial staff is working diligently to keep our buildings clean and safe for those entering the building to pick up their belongings and for those that still live on campus.
We are in unprecedented times, and information is changing hourly. We ask that you please bear with us as we try to make plans for the future, and as we respond to this ever-changing pandemic in a way that protects our students. Our Horned Frog community is strong, and we are truly committed to serving you in the best way possible. Thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,
Craig
Craig D. Allen
Director, Housing & Residence Life
TCU Box 297360
Fort Worth, TX 76129
817 257-7865
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