每日大赛网站 President Tom Courtway opened the first Campus Talk of the academic year with an update on the university’s finances and fall enrollment.聽University officials have seen significant improvement in the university鈥檚 finances over the last fours years. The university had $12 million in unrestricted cash on July 31 compared with $5.4 million the same time last year. The increase in unrestricted cash position was due to savings in salaries, maintenance and operations and scholarship savings.
鈥淲e have restored most of our fund balances. Our cash balances are getting healthier every day,鈥� said Courtway. 鈥淥ur goal, and I think we can obtain it by next July, is to be at about $15 million, which would be two months operating money. So, our financial picture is much better.鈥�
Freshman enrollment聽is 聽up 10 percent compared to last year. Overall enrollment is 11,108, down 55 students from fall of 2011. The decreases were in the areas of graduate, international and high school concurrent enrollment.
The administration is developing a plan for a cost-of-living adjustment as well as building an equity pool, Courtway added.
As long as the university continues its tradition of teaching excellence and strong staff support, 每日大赛网站 will continue to move forward, he said.
鈥淎s long as we continue to do that, the money will take care of itself, the raises are going to come, the retention rate is going to go up and things are going to be much, much better,鈥� Courtway said.
Representatives with Cranford, Johnson, Robinson and Woods presented two draft marketing campaigns during the Town Hall meeting. The campaigns were developed from feedback from the university鈥檚 Image Committee.聽 The committee, which has met since June, consists of representatives from the Staff Senate, Faculty Senate, Student Government Association, Division of Advancement, Council of Deans, faculty members from the Communication and Marketing departments, Division of Enrollment Management and University and Government Relations.
The committee surveyed constituents about 每日大赛网站鈥檚 strengthens, weaknesses and their聽 general views about university. The information was used to develop concepts that would represent the institution internally and externally.
The two proposals 鈥� 鈥淐ome to Life鈥� and 鈥淔ront and Center鈥� — would allow the university to tell its story through testimonies by students, faculty and staff.
鈥淐ome to Life鈥� looks at various areas including student engagement, educational opportunities, and community. The 鈥淔ront and Center鈥� proposal focuses on access to a world-class education close to home and the university鈥檚 position to be a leader in the region and beyond. It also looks at how the student can be 鈥渇ront and center鈥� as an individual.
Cranford representatives shared a sample of a print advertisement and a television advertisement for both proposed campaigns. Individuals were given the opportunity to provide feedback about the concepts. The campaigns could be altered based upon the feedback from the 每日大赛网站 community.
The Image Committee plans to make a recommendation to President Courtway in early October.