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Texas Christian University criticized for ignoring major religions in its student listing

Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth has been criticized for ignoring some of the world’s major religions in its student listing.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that major religions like Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism were not listed under “Student Data” in “Fact Book” of TCU Office of Institutional Research; despite their reportedly considerable presence at TCU.

Although TCU claims that its students “come from more than 60 religious groups”, butunder “Distribution of Headcount by Religious Affiliation Fall 2013” of students at its website, only following affiliations are listed in descending order:  “No Preference/Unknown”, “Other”, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Christian Disciples and Episcopalian.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, calling this practice unethical, urged the accreditation agency Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in Decatur (Georgia) to look into it. All religious groups, irrespective of their size, should get the recognition and respect due to them, Zed stressed.

Rajan Zed further said that such unprofessional behavior was highly inappropriate coming out of TCU whose “Vision”  was “To be a world-class, values-centered university”  and whose Mission included: “To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community”. Moreover, it was not befitting TCU, which talked of “opening minds” and where students were “learning to change the world".

Zed pointed out that universities were meant for education and research and should not be in the business of selectively approaching student statistics.

TCU, founded in 1873, has about 9,925 students enrolled in various bachelor’s, master’s and 24 doctoral programs with an annual budget of about $512 million. Clarence Scharbauer III and Dr. Victor J. Boschini, Jr., are its Trustees Chairman and Chancellor respectively and it costs a student about $48,530 annually.