ICYMI: Summer in Raiderland

Texas Tech University can look like a ghost town over the summer, but the news never sleeps. Here’s what you missed in Lubbock this summer.

Title IX Investigation in Rawls: In June, reports of a 2014 Title IX investigation involving Franco Parisi surfaced, claiming the former visiting international scholar created hostile environments.

The Jerry S. Rawls College of Business. Jordann Fowler/The Hub@TTU

The Jerry S. Rawls College of Business. Jordann Fowler/The Hub@TTU

The report claims Parisi made offensive comments to and about women in the classroom and while on a Rawl’s College of Business trip to Chile. Parisi also reportedly provided alcoholic drinks to a female faculty member during business hours, leaving her passed out in the building when she became intoxicated.

According to the Title IX report, former Rawl’s Dean Lance Nail was aware of the allegations, but did little to remedy the situation. Nail did not invite Parisi back to teach the next year, but did allow him to go on the trip to Chile. The report claims Nail was, “the person who was responsible for making decisions about whether it was appropriate for Dr. Parisi to be on the trip. He failed in this responsibility.”

Nail resigned from his position as dean after a grade changing scandal in November of 2015.

College World Series: After a stellar season, the Texas Tech baseball team took a trip to Omaha, Nebraska to play in the College World Series. After beating the No. 1 University of Florida Gators, Texas Tech fell to Coastal Carolina, 7-5. 

Texas Tech appeared in the College World Series in 2014, and plans on continuing to “water the tree.”

Record Breaking Heat: July 2016 was the second hottest July in Lubbock’s history, with a peak heat of 109 degrees. Overall, Lubbock had 10 days of over 100 degree temperatures for the month.

Picture provided by Texas Tech University.

Picture provided by Texas Tech University.

New University President: In early July, Lawrence Schovanec was announced as the 17th president of Texas Tech. Schovanec has worked at the university since 1982, serving as everything from math professor to dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He was most recently the provost of the university.

Schovanec is preceded by John Opperman. Opperman served as interim president after former president M. Duane Nellis’s controversial resignation.

John Hinckley Jr. Released: Texas Tech is proud of many of its former students: CBS anchor Scott Pelley, women’s basketball legend Sheryl Swoopes, and numerous NASA astronauts and employees. John Hinckley Jr., who attended Texas Tech sporadically through the 1970s, is a former Red Raider who is not bragged about often.

In 1981, Hinckley fired six shots in an attempt to assassinate President Ronald Reagan. Reagan was hit, but did not sustain any serious injuries. Hinckley was found not guilty by way of mental insanity, claiming he attempted the assassination to impress actress Jodie Foster.

On July 27, a judge in California granted 61-year-old Hinckley a release, on the grounds he live with his mother in Virginia.

Costa Rica Campus: Earlier this month, Texas Tech announced a new campus is coming to San Jose, Costa Rica. This will be the university’s first degree-awarding international campus.

The campus will offer undergraduate and graduate degrees from Rawls College of Business, the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering, the College of Arts & Sciences and the College of Human Sciences.

Costa Rica was chosen as the location because of its proximity to Texas and the rest of Latin America. Texas Tech also has a campus in Seville, Spain, which facilitates study abroad opportunities for students.

Shuler in 2015. Picture provided by Texas Tech.

Shuler in 2015. Picture provided by Texas Tech.

12-year-old Graduates from TTUISD: Jeremy Shuler, the 12-year-old son of two aerospace engineers, graduated with his high school diploma from the TTUISD online school program in May. This fall, he is headed to Cornell University to study engineering.

The Shuler family chose TTUISD’s online program because it offered flexibility, while recognizing that Jeremy was not an average student. During his two years in the program, Shuler took classes various classes in subjects such as web design, astronomy and government.

Other notable TTUISD alumni includes “Friday Night Lights” actor Jesse Plemons and Olympic speed skater Jordan Malone.

About Sarah Self-Walbrick

Graduate Executive Director — Mass Communication Graduate Student, Class of 2017
Sarah, a Lubbock native, has two bachelor of art degrees in electronic media and communication and journalism, and is pursuing a master's in mass communications. She loves Texas, her husband and dog, and good storytelling.