New president walks a high wire in turning around troubled TSU

JEANNIE KEVER, Houston Chronicle

- During his first seven months as president of Texas Southern University, John Rudley has been praised for raising admission standards, hiring a new administrative team and producing a $208 million balanced budget.

But the school’s academic programs are still on probation, as are its athletic programs. Students complain of financial hardships caused by a last-minute requirement that everyone in campus housing purchase a meal plan.

Reinventing TSU is a balancing act, teetering between optimism and reminders of all that remains to be done.

“We’re now moving back to being a normal university,” said Rudley, who took office in February and will be formally inaugurated Friday.

Click here for more…