“Drinking from the firehose” is how many newly appointed executive leaders describe engaging with the vast array of stakeholders who support a large research university.
Daniel Pullin helped spearhead Texas Christian University’s 10-year strategic plan before stepping in as chancellor this past June, thanks to a thoughtful two-year succession track mapped out by the Board of Trustees.
“I had the opportunity to really listen and learn and kind of be a student all over again,” Pullin says. “Many chancellors or presidents may never have the time to focus on the operations and the relationships in their totality in the way that I was afforded.”
The buffer has allowed the 11th chancellor to “hit the ground running” and bring to fruition Texas Christian University’s ambitious objectives.
The private research university has pledged to increase enrollment to 18,000 students by 2035, while maintaining a student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1. It also plans to raise its first-year retention and six-year graduation rates above its current levels, which stand at 94% and 86%, respectively.
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Texas Christian University’s aspirations to grow are carefully moderated by its firm commitment to ensuring every student receives personal attention, Pullin says. The university will slowly increase its faculty and staff by 500 each over the next 10 years.
“The university will get a little bigger, but we’ve drawn a line in the sand to make the best version of TCU possible. We will not deviate from small class sizes and the commitment to personal wraparound student success services.”
At the heart of TCU’s decade-long mission is a commitment to enrolling every student in an experiential learning opportunity. The city of Fort Worth offers fertile ground, seeing that it’s now the 11th largest city in the U.S.
“We’re trying to make TCU education certainly broader as a historic liberal arts university, but also very specific from a skill set and experience perspective,” he says. “And the only way we can do that at scale is to do it with our community and alongside Fort Worth.”
Listen further to Chancellor Pullin’s thoughts on Fort Worth and the
Building a connected campus
Texas Christian University aims to elevate student success rates and drive post-graduation outcomes the moment a student first enrolls, Pullin says.
“How you finish has a lot to do with how you start. The engaged student is the retained student and the retained student is the graduated student, and the graduated student earns the right to lead.”
Extended summer orientation programs, known as Frog Camps, are delivered across the country—and even in Iceland—to acclimate incoming students to the culture and community of Texas Christian before setting foot on campus.
“Sometimes, new students get nervous about becoming a face in the crowd,” Pullin says. “TCU is not a place to get lost but a place to be found. That really resonates with our students and their families.”
Bridging every campus stakeholder
TCU’s commitment to campus connectivity extends beyond the student. Pullin walks the campus for at least two hours every week to develop a grounded perspective of every community member he serves.
“Recognizing that the college presidency or chancellorship is a full-contact sport has inspired me to stay current, relatable and accessible to the disparate nature of our stakeholders,” he says. “Returning phone calls and emails, even saying ‘Hi’ when you run into somebody at the grocery store, elevates everyone’s belief and trust that you have the best interests of the institution at heart.”
One of the most vital outcomes of connecting with TCU’s vast network is inspiring trust during moments of courageous leadership. Listen more here:
