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Medicine Men -- Grizzly bear

He's cooking

Chancellor Ferrari can sift and measure and strain like Chef Boyardee, but untimately we are the ones who determine how tasty TCU will be.

By David Van Meter

By themselves, frittatas aren't much more than fancy omelettes.

But when Chancellor Michael R. Ferrari dons a chef's hat -- as he did for "Frittatas with Ferrari" during Homecoming Weekend -- you know you're in for more than eggs with an accent.

A kitchen whiz as it is -- the man dreams of pasta makers with the Kung Fu grip -- Ferrari flipped his frittatas like other Italians make pizzas do pirouettes.

Of course, our ninth Chancellor hasn't had much time to cook in the kitchen. He's been helping build Habitat houses, meeting with community leaders, talking with faculty and hanging out with students.

He's been asking questions.

And he's been listening to the answers.

At Fall Convocation, he listed 10 steps to make the University that much better.

-- Sharpen the mission statement.

-- Develop a strategic plan.

-- Foster a collegial working environment and improve salaries and benefits. -- Strengthen student life, including improvements in retention and evaluation of learning outcomes, support for intercollegiate athletics, and enhancements to the student center, recreation center and residence halls.

-- Increase alumni involvement.

-- Implement a technology agenda that places TCU in a leadership position in higher education.

-- Build stronger partnerships within the community.

-- Enhance global education.

-- Promote greater diversity among students, faculty and staff.

-- Enrich the intellectual life of the University.

It reads like a recipe for a university, and it is, except certain crucial ingredients remain.

You.

Me.

The people you'll read about in this issue of The TCU Magazine. Chancellor Ferrari can sift and measure and strain like Chef Boyardee, but ultimately we are the ones who determine how tasty TCU will be.