Student success
Record access, and serving a region in recession
Public demand for UW-Green Bay services only increases during a recession, and the University’s leaders say they are proud of how the institution responded.
UW-Green Bay posted record headcount enrollments — 6,549 students in Fall 2009, 6,194 in Spring 2010. Essential to our capacity to serve these students was a UW System Growth Agenda base-funding increase of $1.7m, received in the previous budget year. Much of the enrollment growth occurred with the Adult Degree Program serving primarily placebound and working adults who rely greatly on distance learning. The University has worked aggressively and purposefully to serve this critical market. Another factor was increasing success in retaining students.
Also, most notably, for Fall 2009 the University kept its application period open longer for local students, hit hard by recession and in many cases changing their college plans to stay closer to home and apply late to their regional University. Chancellor Harden reported that he fielded many compliments and thanks across the community on our behalf about this policy.
These enrollment gains were not without stress, of course, considering our existing situation with student/faculty ratios. The furloughs complicated matters still further. For that reason, Harden addressed UW-Green Bay students directly in a candid all-campus email on Sept. 15. Excerpts:
“After years of lean budgets and belt tightening at UW-Green Bay, there’s no longer a question as to whether we can somehow negate the impact of budget cuts and fully maintain services. We can’t.” (The Chancellor then went on to describe the furlough closure dates and the possibility that faculty and student services staff would be somewhat less available as a result.) “We look forward to restoring these lost hours when the economy rebounds. In the meantime, we’ll continue to work tirelessly to offer a first-rate education for our students.”
....for fall 2009, the application period remained open for local students, hit hard by recession...
