‘It’s time for a change’: TCU’s chancellor is stepping down, but he isn’t leaving campus
As a crowd gathered for TCU’s annual Christmas tree lighting on the campus commons below, Chancellor Victor Boschini reflected on his tenure leading Fort Worth’s oldest higher education institution.
“Don’t ever bet against TCU,” Boschini said.
After 22 years leading the university, Boschini will be stepping down on June 1. He has overseen a period of explosive growth at TCU. The university’s enrollment has increased by almost 54% since he was appointed in 2003; annual tuition for a full-time courseload has more than tripled during that time. He said the biggest change during his time at TCU has been the growth of the student body and the campus.
Boschini’s successor will be TCU’s president, Daniel Pullin, who was appointed to his role in 2023 in preparation for an eventual transition to the chancellorship. TCU does not plan to hire a new president.
In 2021, Boschini told the Star-Telegram he wasn’t planning to retire until 2026. On Tuesday evening, he said he’s stepping down now because he’s ready for something new.
“I think everybody knows in their heart or in their soul when it’s time for a change, and I just felt it was time for a change,” Boschini said.
Boschini will be moving out of Minor House, the chancellor’s university-owned residence, in May, and Pullin will move in over the summer.
Prior to joining TCU, Boschini was president of Illinois State University. Born and raised in Ohio, he holds a doctorate in higher education administration from Indiana University.
Boschini doesn’t have advice for the next generation of TCU leaders — he’s confident in their abilities.
“We won’t be fine, we’ll be better,” he said.
The TCU board of trustees will ratify the chancellor succession plan at its spring meeting.
Boschini will continue to work at TCU, teaching classes and serving on the university’s fundraising team, where he can leverage his extensive alumni network. He said though he has worked at or attended 11 universities, the loyalty of TCU alums sets them apart.
“You see them in an airport, you see them in another country, they’re always going to bond with you,” he said.
Boschini, who will turn 69 in January, said he aims to continue working until 2029.
He’s looking forward to teaching a second course, on leadership, in the spring.
Fundraising is a core driver of TCU’s recently released long-term plans, which aim to significantly expand the campus and improve the university’s academic profile. Pullin said TCU is still working on a feasibility study for a formal capital-raising campaign, but some fundraising has already begun.
“We’re always hoping to connect a vision to the passions and the aspirations of our alumni, and corporate partners, and foundations, and parents and everybody that loves TCU the way we do,” Pullin said. “We have an outstanding fundraising team that’s already hard at work, we just want to make sure that we sharpen our pencils and are as precise as possible before we move into any type of a public announcement on the magnitude and duration of the next capital campaign.”
It is unclear what dollar amount the university’s fundraising goal for new projects is.
This story was originally published December 4, 2024 at 12:12 PM.
