Texas Christian University Police Chief Steven McGee, center facing camera, and Fort Worth Police Capt. Ken Dean, right foreground, talk before a news conference Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 in Fort Worth, Texas. Police say four TCU football players are among 17 students who have been arrested in a campus drug bust. McGee said the students arrested Wednesday were caught in an undercover operation selling marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and prescription drugs. (Associated Press)

After a six-month investigation, authorities arrested 17 TCU students in a drug sting Wednesday morning.

According to The Associated Press, “those who were arrested were caught in ‘hand to hand’ sales of marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and prescription drugs to undercover officers.”

The arrests included four members of the Horned Frogs’ football team — linebacker Tanner Brock, defensive tackle D.J. Yendrey, cornerback Devin Johnson and offensive lineman Ty Horn. However, all four players posted bond and were released that evening.

Upon getting wind of the drug bust, many SMU students said the arrests didn’t come as a shock, but the number of students involved and the length of the undercover operation surprised them.

“I’m not very shocked about there being a drug bust at a relatively affluent school such as TCU,” junior Tom Chapline said. “However, the scale of it and the fact that football players were actually dealing the drugs makes it much more shocking.”

TCU’s athletic department has been on people’s radar for the past year after it announced its move into the Big 12 Conference. Both SMU and TCU’s campuses were astounded by Wednesday’s events, especially since TCU released its 2012 football schedule less than 24 hours prior to the arrests.

“It’s a shame that an institution that has had many great academic and athletic strides recently has allowed this to happen,” Victor Tapia, an SMU senior, said. “The integrity of TCU has taken a major hit.”

After looking at the football team roster, Brock informed an undercover officer, after looking at the football team roster, that of the 80 players, “there were only 20 people that would pass” a drug test, according to the arrest warrant affidavit posted by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

In a drug test on Feb. 1, five TCU football players tested positive for marijuana while 11 other students tested positive for trace amounts, according to the Star-Telegram.

“This event only solidifies that TCU has turned a blind eye to improving their athletic program and has forgotten what’s important in a university — education,” Tapia said.

Now, SMU students wonder if their campus is next.

“If SMU feels that they have reason to investigate our own student body, then I think they should,” senior Haley Gatewood said. “But an investigation for the sake of an investigation would be a bit over the top.”

Finding hardcore drugs on college campuses is nothing new.

“I am not ignorant to that fact that there are drugs on college campuses, especially at private institutions where the students can typically afford harder drugs,” Gatewood said. “The amount of students involved [at TCU] was what was alarming.”

But many SMU students admitted that before Wednesday’s events, they never considered the consequences of being caught.

“As college students I think that we find ourselves in a bubble away from the real world, and we do not expect real world consequences for our actions. The situation at TCU reminds students that although we live in a college ‘fantasy’ world we are still part of the real world,” William Floyd, an SMU senior said. “It is a shame that such a good school has such negative attention from the actions of just a few students.”

Though the university cannot directly comment on TCU’s actions, Dr. Lori White, vice president of student affairs, said that substance abuse on college campuses is an issue that is addressed among most universities.

“Substance abuse is a challenge nation wide — whether its alcohol or drugs — we spend a lot of time talking about it and new strategies to better educate our students,” White said.

SMU has already established a number of programs on campus, such as the Center for Substance Abuse and Prevention, to support and help students who are abusing drugs and alcohol.

“What we are doing now has worked successfully for us,” White said. “Students can help in this effort by saying something when they see something. We are a community and need to work together as a community to make sure our campus is safe and to continue making strides in preventing students from making poor choices.”

Despite the efforts the administration has already made, and continues to make, senior Chad Cohen thinks that the situation at TCU will only enhance SMU’s actions to curb drug usage on campus.

“I think everyone in the SMU community is aware that we have more work to do on our own situation,” he said. “And, the events at TCU this morning should serve as a reminder that the drug situation must continue to be diligently monitored and proactively addressed.” 

Texas Christian University Chancellor Victor Boschini gestures during a news conference in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. Police say four TCU football players are among 17 students who have been arrested in a campus drug bust. TCU Police Chief Steve McGee said the students arrested Wednesday were caught in an undercover operation selling marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and prescription drugs. (Associated Press)