According to the TCU PD website, "Froggie Five-0 is a student safety escort service at TCU that provides well over 3,000 safety escorts a month to the campus community." (Link)

It has recently been announced that “TCU’s Froggie 5-0 program will primarily use walking escorts instead of golf carts to accompany students with safety concerns starting this fall, the university’s vice chancellor of public safety, Adrian Andrews, told the Star-Telegram on Wednesday.” (Link)

Furthermore, “One of the main factors in the decision was the cost to maintain the golf carts, Andrews said. The gas-run carts cost about $8,000 to $10,000, and the university replaces about two a year. Andrews said the university also wanted to be environmentally friendly and encourage people to walk.

“‘A decision has been made,’ Andrews said. ‘We’re moving forward with it, and it’s going to make our campus safer, friendlier — if you can imagine TCU being even friendlier — it’s going to be that way because instead of just riding on a cart with the person you’ll have two individuals there who will get to know the students and be an opportunity for that environment to grow as well.’”

These changes were originally announced via a TCU 360 article on Monday, April 18th, 2022. After a conversation between the Froggie 5-0 Head Supervisor and the TCU 360 Executive Editor, both TCU students, the article was amended to reflect that the changes were believed to still be in consideration, as the majority of Froggie 5-0 student personnel were not directly involved in or aware of these concrete plans, though the TCU 360 article implied otherwise. (Link)

In the Star-Telegram article, Mr. Andrews says, “his office talked to student groups, parents and Froggie 5-0 supervisors and drivers to find out if the changes would be successful.” The results of these talks have not been shared publicly.

This has brought about questions of inclusivity. Froggie 5-0 often services women and intoxicated students through its current escort system. Mr. Andrews’ statements do not address how these changes would make women on campus feel safer nor how Froggie 5-0’s female employees would be accommodated to ensure their own safety while on the job. Similarly, Mr. Andrews’ statements do not address how the revamped Froggie 5-0 would assist intoxicated students in need.

The article states that “The 24 to 28 Froggies on staff will be equipped with security lighting, radio and vests. Andrews said they would also train the student employees in first aid and self defense, which he said would cost the university nothing due to in-house resources and staff.”

It is currently unclear from a student perspective if training in first aid and self-defense would be a safer alternative to the benefits in mobility that a golf cart can provide, regardless of gender. Between the options of ‘fight or flight’ in an emergency scenario, one intuitively seems to be a more reasonable expectation of an average student employee. Additionally, how TCU would address the liability issues that could stem from this self-defense-focused initiative remain to be presented.

It is later noted that “Student employees with Froggie 5-0 have since been asked by Andrews to not speak to the press, citing their position as TCU employees and the staff handbook, which says media contact needs to be coordinated with the university’s communications department. 

“‘Usually we have a one-voice policy thing that makes sure that we send out a consistent message from the program,’ Andrews said. ‘We don’t want someone else’s opinion. We also always want to direct them up the chain to the person who has been media trained and who has had some experience in dealing with the media.’”

The lack of eminent concern for student voices is perhaps the most problematic part of these plans. 

If you are a member of the TCU community, including current students, family, faculty, staff, and alumni, and you disapprove of the plans proposed by TCU’s Vice Chancellor of Public Safety, your signature would be greatly appreciated. Froggie 5-0 has operated as Texas Christian University’s student-operated campus safety service since 2001. The system ought to be improved over time to best address the safety concerns of students, but the changes conveyed here seem to be regressive rather than progressive.

This form is not in any way associated with Texas Christian University, TCU Froggie 5-0, the TCU Police Department, or any other associated TCU programs or organizations.