Bradley Freshman Enrollment

[PhiAlphaBoy]

I don't understand how Pres. Roberts could be so upbeat about the current enrollment numbers while interviewed on local TV, then a few weeks later send out a somewhat dire letter to the Bradley faculty and community that numbers are much worse than anticipated. Which is it? Is Bradley on firm financial footing or has the tsunami of declining enrollment already hit before Bradley was prepared to handle it. From my understanding of this recent letter not only was current year freshman enrollment down more than anticipated, but transfer enrollments and student retention were both way down... record levels down.

Is Bradley in trouble? What will Roberts cut? (he indicated that cuts must be made now). How does this effect Bradley athletics, specifically the men's basketball budget moving forward? How does this effect Roberts' standing with the Bradley Board and wealthy alums? Color me "WORRIED"!

[Mikovio]

Seems kind of alarmist but that's not a bad strategy to raise money. I think the shooting plus the fact we have a huge hole in the ground for another year where the new engineering/business complex will be built might contribute. If it happens again next year I'd be concerned because that might indicate it's systemic.

I will say if Bradley ever wanted to boost enrollment one solution is non scholarship FCS football like they have at Drake and Valpo. Yeah it's not big time football but if the students pay their way it's not the huge money pit like you see at scholarship midmajors and hey, it's 100 more students.

[tornado]

if it was that bad PhiAlpha, then Bradley would be forced into raising tuition to get more revenue immediately or lowering admission standards to get the enrollment up immediately...
But - neither is a current option and that's a good thing - because if you do either, then the immediate benefit of either more tuition or more students will evaporate as time goes on and people look for lower cost options or look for schools like ISU with lower academic standards.

The since-fired leadership at SIU made those exact terrible mistakes...they jacked tuition and saw an immediate plummetting of enrollment

https://thesouthern.com/news/local/siu/siuc-s-rising-tuition-likely-among-primary-causes-of-enrollment/article_4ee40269-8db4-5255-b561-2163d9922982.html

..they've also lowered their admission standards to about juco levels - https://www.collegesimply.com/guides...core/illinois/

[tornado]

....
The since-fired leadership at SIU made those exact terrible mistakes......

former SIU Chancellor, who saw the school thru a period of economic decline, enrollment decline and administrative turmoil...
and who was facing an ethics investigation when "he stepped down" - has just died...

https://twitter.com/SIUSalukis/status/1050425143875522560

[tornado]

SIU fell even harder in terms of total enrollment ….

an interesting suggestion from activists on how to solve SIU's enrollment decline...

And they are serious about this...
they demand SIU open the gates for anyone and everyone and TUITION IS FREE!! I am not joking - they just expect someone in Springfield to write a check to cover the tuition of 12,000 to possibly 20,000 (or more) kids if the enrollment goes up...

https://thesouthern.com/news/local/siu/activists-call-for-tuition-free-siuc-as-enrollment-cost-of/article_dfce6acf-b623-5c4f-8af9-d4e75b77c18a.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1

…"The group, made up of members of two local Democratic Socialist organizations...
a plan to save SIUC: Free tuition for all.....We know this idea is popular with students...

...rising tuition likely among primary causes of enrollment decline
...universities have an excess of management staff whose six-figure salaries drain their budgets"

...but here's the most glaring part that these numbskulls seem to miss....
"A tuition-free SIUC would require an immediate increase of about $100 million in state contributions"

Good luck trying to get the state to overnite you $100 mil ….



addendum...hey, I want to join this movement but I will add one extra small demand...
I want this idea of FREE ENROLLMENT & FREE TUITION to extend to all colleges & grad schools and I want it to be retroactive back to 1967...
I will expect my refund check - with interest - in the mail. By my best estimate - I figure my wife & I each spent eight years in Illinois colleges plus all my kids spent another 24 years or so in colleges - so that comes, with the interest added, to about $1.6 million, but I won't quarrel if they just cut me a check for one-and-a-half MIL.

[pfcmsh]

Activists Demand?

Wow, I have heard of some ridiculous ideas, but to demand free tuition? To anyone who wants to enroll? Taxpayers would revolt. This kind of demand is what is causing the divide in this country.

I suppose it is every curriculum too? Even the curriculums that do not pay to undertake a student loan for because there are no jobs available or the jobs available are low paying?