Improvements, honor code ideas pitched to Trustees
Improvements in advising and the Student Center were called for in an Intercom presentation to some members of the board.
By Antoinette Vega
Staff Reporter

Intercom members pitched establishing an honor code and improving advising last week to the Student Relations Committee of the Board of Trustees.

The committee met Thursday with Intercom members to review student responses from the discussions Oct. 31 at the Collaborative Community Dinner, a meeting of 150 student leaders who hashed out ways to improve the university.

An honor code is needed at TCU to create a campus with integrity and to compete with other schools with honor codes, said Kate Carrico, president of the Leadership Council.

“An honor code complements the mission statement to create ethical leaders,” said Carrico, a senior sociology major. “Students should take their work seriously at this institution.”

Students also say they want trained professionals to advise them to take classes that are beneficial for their major.

Prateeksha Singh, president of Students for Asian Indian Cultural Awareness, said because professors play a dual role of being advisors, people trained specifically for advising are needed on campus.

“Advisers, who are trained in specific areas of study, would be more beneficial to a student’s future,” said Singh, a senior business major. “An advising center would be a good addition to keep advisers up to date on the curriculum.”

As students pushed for improvements, members of the committee said they would be responsive.

Trustee Scott Colglazier said an honor code should be student-initiated, but that it is not the only solution to prevent cheating on campus.

“An honor code does not guarantee a more ethical citizen,” Colglazier said. “There are other options such as eliminating test files that can help.”

Since many of the Trustees have children attending TCU, they say advising is a topic of concern.

Trustee Clarence Scharbauer said his daughter was having problems planning her class schedule the semester before graduating last May.

“For a while, my youngest daughter was unsure if she had the right classes,” he said. “I know from experience that student advising is a serious issue.”

Students also pushed for physical improvements.

John Billingsley, vice president of the House of Student Representatives, said students want a new Student Center to create a better social atmosphere.

“Most students walk the same path through the Student Center everyday without conversing with anyone,” said Billingsley, a senior accounting major. “A new Student

Center should give them reasons to stay.”

Laura Miller, chairwoman of the Student Relations Committee, said remodeling the Student Center is a priority of the Board of Trustees.

“Renovating the student center is something students have been wanting for many years,” she said. “It is something we recognize as a need and want to get done as well.”

a.c.vega@tcu.edu