Dear Horned Frogs,
With a new strategic plan underway and with the changes and challenges facing higher education and the world around us, I’ve been reflecting on our Texas Christian University values of Integrity, Community, Engagement and Excellence. I want to share a few thoughts on our history as a values-centered university and, importantly, how our values, rooted in our Christian tradition, inform the way we navigate the challenges we face today and move into tomorrow.
From the very outset, TCU has been a values-centered university. Our founders, brothers and Disciples of Christ minister-teachers Addison and Randolph Clark, dreamed of creating a college that would not only educate young people in literacy and the sciences but also develop their character.1 In his book, Reminiscences-Biographical and Historical, Randolph Clark provided insight into Addison’s motivations and ideals:
In his sermons, addresses and writings, [Addison] avoided all allusions to self. With him the measure of greatness was service and the teacher was the greatest servant of all. He believed that the greatest opportunity to serve mankind, the greatest responsibility comes to him who takes upon himself the task of molding young life and forming character for time and eternity.
Like all of us, the Clark brothers were not perfect2. But we are grateful for their founding ideals and vision that have fueled TCU’s upward trajectory for 152 years. TCU today is the best we have ever been – with each incoming class of students more talented and academically qualified than the last. We also have the most dedicated and high-performing faculty and staff we have ever had. And the value students, faculty and staff use most to describe TCU is community.
To extend our reach and to realize our vision, to become a better version of ourselves, we must remain a values-centered university. We must ground every decision and strategy in who we are and who we hope to become. To that end, I plan to write over the next few months about each of our four core values in the context of our strategic plan, LEAD ON: Values in Action.
I thought I would start with the value of community, as it is one of the values Horned Frogs hold most dear. So, what does it mean for TCU to be a values-centered community? How do we ensure our community continues to be a connected community and a place of spirited belonging? Here are a few of my thoughts.
We must be a community characterized by respect and civility. The Christian tradition teaches that all are created equal, that all bear the image of God. This means that our community must be one that respects the inherent dignity of each of its members. As we debate and learn together, we must do so with civility and grace.
We must be a community characterized by humility. We recognize that individuals are finite beings, without all the answers. We seek answers and knowledge through education and discovery. We must continue to value a marketplace of ideas, knowing we have much to learn from others with different perspectives, viewpoints, and ideas than our own, people from all backgrounds, cultures and religions.
We must be a community that values connection and belonging. We know that human flourishing and development depend on deep connections to others. Student success depends on it. If we want to prepare students to be ethical leaders on the national and world stage, we must be able to collaborate across differences. We must be culturally nimble and fluent.
There’s much discussion, both within our campus community and beyond, about how TCU will navigate the challenges facing higher education. While there is no crystal ball, I can say with certainty and confidence that TCU is a values-centered university that will continue to advance our mission and ground every decision in our values. As we advance our new strategic plan and face headwinds that will come our way, we will navigate the future together.
I find inspiration in the determination of our founders and in all the Horned Frogs who have contributed to making TCU a top-tier, nationally recognized university with a thriving, connected community. That same spirit fuels us today as we put our values into action.
Lead On, Horned Frogs.
Daniel Pullin
- Randolph Clark, Reminiscences, Biographical and Historical, 1919.
- TCU Race & Reconciliation Initiative First Year Survey Report, April 21, 2021.
