Chancellor Victor Boschini yesterday received the E. Joseph Savoie Leadership Award at the District IV CASE conference in Fort Worth.
CASE IV, a chapter of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, represents nearly 3,000 members from more than 200 educational institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and the Republic of Mexico.
The Savoie Leadership Award annually recognizes a CEO from a District IV member institution for outstanding efforts to promote understanding and support of education. Criteria include success at creating a vision and inspiring others, establishing a positive image for the institution while leading it to higher levels of success, increasing the institution’s stature in the community, encouraging innovation and risk-taking among employees, and supporting all aspects of advancement of the institution.
Soon after Chancellor Boschini arrived at the university in 2003, he launched a major planning effort, Vision in Action. The strategic plan that resulted has been completed, and elements of the vision that grew from it have been realized. Results include:
• Recognition among the top 20 “Up-and-Coming Universities” by U.S. News & World Report
• A dozen new facilities in four years
• A Campaign for TCU fundraising total of more than $420 million, exceeding the original goal by $170 million
• A new honors college
• Some $100 million in new scholarship dollars
• An all-time high for applications, including more than 19,000 for last fall’s incoming freshman class
• An increase in faculty of 17 percent over the past five academic years
• Thirteen new endowed faculty positions, such as chairs and professorships
• New institutes, programs and partnerships that offer a variety of cultural experiences and enable faculty and students to find solutions for complex problems
The E. Joseph Savoie Leadership Award also recognizes innovation and entrepreneurship within the academy. Under Chancellor Boschini’s leadership, venture capital of $8.38 million was awarded through Vision in Action for promising projects, including initiatives for an Institute for Child Development and an Institute for Environment Studies. Direct income from external grants, gifts and sales from successful projects have far exceeded the startup capital that TCU invested.