When the LEAD ON: Values in Action Strategic Plan was announced, four high-level goals for 2035 were approved for each pillar.
- Student-Centered Growth: Deliver an exceptional student experience to an expanded student body of up to 20,000 scholars (approximately 14,900 undergraduate and 3,000 graduate students.
- Research, Scholarship & Creative Activity: Solidify position as the premier research institution for Fort Worth and beyond by increasing research expenditures by at least 10% per year.
- Athletics: Elevate TCU Athletics’ winning legacy by winning 30 conference & national championships while also elevating the student-athlete experience.
- Community Engagement: Be the institution that writes the next chapter for Fort Worth and beyond in partnership with the community.
While these long-term goals inform where we are going, we need near-term goals to understand where we start. President Pullin presented the FY26 goals, along with representative investments and near-term successes, to the Board of Trustees in April.
A key focus for Student-Centered Growth in FY26 is the continued growth of TCU’s student body, with 2,850 first-year students in Fall 2026 and beginning construction on several exciting planned developments. As the demand for a TCU education continues to grow, these developments will expand our top-ranked housing and entertainment options around campus.
Another key focus is student outcomes. Peer-to-peer tutoring will be expanded to 10000 and 20000 courses. TCU’s Center for Career & Professional Development and partners across campus will work to increase on-campus employer visits and establish new benchmarks for post-graduate earnings.
In FY25, TCU set a new record for research expenditures with more than $25 million. Next year, one of TCU’s central goals for Research, Scholarship & Creative Activity is to grow to more than $28 million in expenditures with the potential for even more. A new Leap Forward seed grant program will be launched to scale interdisciplinary research collaborations. Academic leadership will also look to add important new research Ph.D. and revenue-generating graduate-level programs in FY26. One of the most anticipated goals for next year will be starting the design phase of the Ed Landreth Hall and Auditorium renovation, with project completion planned for the 2028-2029 academic year. Another key foundational goal for FY26 will be the implementation of a comprehensive AI framework to accelerate academic, research, scholarship and creative activities.
For Athletics, FY26 is focused on winning, student-athlete performance and implementing the new model for intercollegiate athletics (e.g., revenue sharing, roster limits, etc., based upon the House vs NCAA settlement). A central goal is for 100% of TCU’s revenue-generating sports to participate in the NCAA post-season annually and consistently compete for Big 12 and National Championships. Based upon this year, they are well on their way. In the coming months, the new TCU Athletics Human Performance Center will open and provide unparalleled training, preparation, restoration, wellness and nutrition options for TCU student-athletes.
As for Community Engagement? Two goals for FY26 you may have seen in a prior blog, will be to obtain the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement and open the new Innovation Hub. Additional goals include establishing TCU’s Office of Government Relations and Office of Corporate Engagement and Strategic Partnerships. (Big announcements to come soon —watch for future posts!)
Just like any great journey, TCU’s strategic plan begins with one foot in front of the other. And that’s next year - the first full step in our bold LEAD ON: Values in Action plan to build a leading national university that is ready for the future and delivering on our mission and values as never before.