Executive Leadership Change on the Hilltop

[Old Coach]

https://www.bradley.edu/offices/pres...adership-team/

Sheryl Cox has been removed as CFO/COO after only 2 years in those positions. I have heard that enrollment continues to be a major challenge (which obviously impacts tuition revenue), and budget deficits are once again approaching $20 million.

[Big Mike]

Wow....that's interesting for sure....any idea what the enrollment numbers are at now??

[Stryker]

Time to trim some fat...most universities have a lot of room to become more cost effective with staffing and administration.

[Old Coach]

Wow....that's interesting for sure....any idea what the enrollment numbers are at now??

They were in decline prior to Covid, and the pandemic definitely didn't make things better. Seemingly, there have been multiple failed recruitment and retention strategies across multiple administrations.

[molar50]

This is not just a Bradley problem. Valparaiso is facing lawsuits regarding selling valuable donated art to pay for renovating dorms to attract prospective students. It is more challenging for private universities than state schools, but SIU in Carbondale, Eastern Illinois, Governors State in Chicago and others have lost significant enrollment with no solutions to reverse this trend. There are not enough graduating high school students in Illinois to support all these institutions.

[molar50]

DePaul University is facing a 56.5 million dollar deficit and huge cuts in staff for next year. Again, related to enrollment.

[yoda]

This is not just a Bradley problem. ....

then please explain this:

"QU Announces Largest Freshman Class in 30 Years"

"IWU enrollment projections are up

"LEWIS UNIVERSITY ENROLLMENT GROWS"

"ILLINOIS COLLEGE: FALL ENROLLMENT AGAIN MARKS ONE OF THE LARGEST STUDENT BODIES IN COLLEGE HISTORY"

"University of Illinois Springfield enrollment increases by 6.4% for Fall Semester 2022"

and it's not just in Illinois
https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/n...e/69941756007/
https://www.taylor.edu/news/taylor-t...in-its-history

Highest enrollment in 111-year history!- https://andersonuniversity.edu/news/...nrollment-2022

Highest enrollment in 110-year history!- https://www.olivet.edu/news/olivet-s...SAAEgJuJ_D_BwE

[Stryker]

then please explain this:

"QU Announces Largest Freshman Class in 30 Years"

"IWU enrollment projections are up

"LEWIS UNIVERSITY ENROLLMENT GROWS"

"ILLINOIS COLLEGE: FALL ENROLLMENT AGAIN MARKS ONE OF THE LARGEST STUDENT BODIES IN COLLEGE HISTORY"

"University of Illinois Springfield enrollment increases by 6.4% for Fall Semester 2022"

and it's not just in Illinois
https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/n...e/69941756007/
https://www.taylor.edu/news/taylor-t...in-its-history

Highest enrollment in 111-year history!- https://andersonuniversity.edu/news/...nrollment-2022

Highest enrollment in 110-year history!- https://www.olivet.edu/news/olivet-s...SAAEgJuJ_D_BwE

I think a lot of very high level private schools are doing well, like weslyan etc. I think the college bubble is finally starting to burst. The middle class just can't afford the student debt it takes anymore and with trades coming on strong over the past several years, a lot more kids are asking themselves why go to a college and come out with a net worth of -$150,000? Schools with a very wealthy alumni/student base are doing good, or ones like UofI that are attracting scores of foreign students.

[Old Coach]

then please explain this:

"QU Announces Largest Freshman Class in 30 Years"

"IWU enrollment projections are up

"LEWIS UNIVERSITY ENROLLMENT GROWS"

"ILLINOIS COLLEGE: FALL ENROLLMENT AGAIN MARKS ONE OF THE LARGEST STUDENT BODIES IN COLLEGE HISTORY"

"University of Illinois Springfield enrollment increases by 6.4% for Fall Semester 2022"

and it's not just in Illinois
https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/n...e/69941756007/
https://www.taylor.edu/news/taylor-t...in-its-history

Highest enrollment in 111-year history!- https://andersonuniversity.edu/news/...nrollment-2022

Highest enrollment in 110-year history!- https://www.olivet.edu/news/olivet-s...SAAEgJuJ_D_BwE

I can't disagree with you. I don't know anything, but my perception is that over the last 5-10 years Bradley has kind of abandoned recruiting what was once the core of it's student body; local collar community students, and students from the western and northern Chicago suburbs.

[molar50]

Yes, some universities and colleges are doing well. SIU at Edwardsville has grown significantly in contrast to Carbondale. But, there are still not enough students to support all these institutions. I do agree that it is also related to money. The schools like University of Illinois, University of Chicago, Northwestern are all going to be fine.
I

[molar50]

I can't disagree with you. I don't know anything, but my perception is that over the last 5-10 years Bradley has kind of abandoned recruiting what was once the core of it's student body; local collar community students, and students from the western and northern Chicago suburbs.

That policy was instituted by the former queen. She thought Bradley should recruit from the east and west coasts. I never understood the reasoning.

[battlebasset]

When my kid was looking at schools back in 2012, I asked him to consider Bradley. He looked at the school, the declining city environment, and asked "Why?" I had no good response. He went somewhere else. I was sad, but couldn't blame him. Peoria, and Illinois in general, is a dying state.

[yoda]

Smaller schools are way more efficient and they watch their finances better. They have been doing it efficiently for decades.
Many of Bradley's financial issues do indeed date back to the former administration, their destruction of some of the science curriculum,
the massive costs of paying the contracts of Glasser, Cross & Ford multiple years into the future, and their need to fight,
settle or pay numerous lawsuits the past decade or so incl the Kent State debacle.
They also lost many big dollar pledges and gifts as noted elsewhere, and much of the donor base was lost in the process.
I'm not saying enrollment isn't an issue but that's a result of other bad decisions & policy.

https://www.galesburg.com/story/news...y/45414915007/
https://www.classaction.org/news/cla...udents-privacy
https://cookcountyrecord.com/stories...covid-closures
https://casetext.com/case/doe-v-bradley-uni

The job done by this current admin is heroic given the disaster that was dumped in their laps.

[Bravesfanchicago]

There is an absence of urgency at BU. While the lost decade plus of Glasser wreckage pushed the University into a decline and accelerated its poor positioning ….there is a fundamental lack of focus. What are the destination programs at BU ? Why does the business school bring in less than half the number of freshmen it formerly had ? Why is there no marketing in key target markets ? Why do I drive down I -294 expressway around Ohare and see billboard after billboard for university after university .SLU ….Marquette ….DePaul…..and never ever have I seen a BU billboard.

Anecdotally …my family members live on the North Shore and Naperville. Not one of my nieces and nephews or any of their friend circles considered BU for college. Now …the Naperville family lives in a town with five public highly regarded high schools and private Benet Academy..a stellar school as well. My three nephews knew no one who went to BU from Naperville….no one from their school sports teams, club sports teams or other circles. From a town of 150,000 people with a high family median income. A target rich environment….with no special focus from BU .

I appreciate the anecdotal nature of my observations….but unless there is a change …..the horizon is not great. Repositioning is a must.

[PhiAlphaBoy]

Time to trim some fat...most universities have a lot of room to become more cost effective with staffing and administration.

So is Justin Ball next? Enrollment has consistently declined under his leadership.