Nursing appoints new director

Dr. Paulette Burns, former associate professor and coordinator for the graduate program at the University of Oklahoma, Schusterman Health Sciences Center, assumed duties as the new director of the Harris School of Nursing in August. Burns plans to increase enrollment, make research more accessible and offer seminars for professional nurses.

Supply chain center opens

A Center for Supply and Value Chain Studies launched by the M.J. Neeley School of Business will help businesses find ways to integrate their procurement, production, logistics and marketing functions and to work more effectively with customers and suppliers. Nancy Nix, formerly an instructor in the marketing and logistics department at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, has been hired as center director. Programs begin in spring 2001.

Dual degree for leaders in education

Teachers who want to become administrators can get high-level preparation in both fields with the new combined master of business administration and doctorate in educational leadership (MBA/Ed.D) degree now being offered. Students will enroll initially in TCU’s MBA program, then apply for candidacy in the educational doctorate program after successfully completing the first year of the MBA program and coursework in educational administration. Internships at local, national or international businesses or educational agencies will be required all three years.

Stay in school

Chancellor Michael R. Ferrari has taken the reins of a community-based effort to keep local students in school. Spearheaded by the Fort Worth school district and led by Ferrari, a commission of business leaders, local chambers and faith-based organizations will draft a plan to reduce the Fort Worth school district’s dropout rate to the state average or lower by 2004, and raise the district to top levels of achievement nationally by 2010.

In the top 50

The Department of Physics and Astronomy has been recognized by the National Association of Graduate Professional Students (NAGPS) as one of the top graduate physics programs in the nation. A survey of 32,000 graduate students in the U.S. and Canada selected about 50 PhD programs for the recognition, including major research institutions like Cornell, UC Berkeley, Stanford and Harvard.

It’s a family affair . . . and a few relatives and a bunch of friends

When spring commencement outgrew Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, the options were limited — move to another location or limit the number of guests. The students made it clear through a survey that they wanted lots of guests, even if it meant moving. So this May, graduates will receive their degrees downtown in the Tarrant County Convention Center. Event coordinators are already searching for ways to “purple up” the convention center, and others are noting that lining up the graduates and gowned faculty before hand will be much easier — and more comfortable — since it can all be done inside. The morning reception at the Alumni Center, which will include fine food, refreshments and entertainment, will run from 10 a.m. until noon, and commencement will begin at 2 p.m. downtown.