by Aaron Butts
Change has been happening on Capital’s campus at every level this semester. Returning students may have been surprised to see the new layout of the Cru Club transformed into the One Main Café, or the new location of the Post Office in the basement of the Campus Center. But more than just aesthetics, a lot of change has taken place on campus over this summer.
While enrollment at Capital’s Main Campus is increasing, enrollment at the Law school is suffering. Capital University’s Provost, Dr. Richard Ashbrook, laid out some of the administrative complications that the University has been facing while students were away, “This fall there are about 10% (9.93%) fewer law students at Capital than the year before,” Ashbrook said, “and about 18% (18.20%) fewer than in 2011.”
This lowering in enrollment at Capital’s Law School is nothing out of the ordinary. Law schools nationally are facing lower enrollment and are finding ways to cope. Over the summer it was rumored that because of this low enrollment the university was losing a great deal of money. The rumored figure that went around Capital was a figure hovering around $5 million; however, Ashbrook says that this is a rumor and nothing more.
“While it’s true that law school revenues are lower than in previous years as a result of the decline in enrollment,” he said, “the university ended its 2012-13 fiscal year with a surplus of approximately $950,000. The exact amount of the surplus will be confirmed by the university’s audited financial statement, which will be available in the next several weeks.”
Ashbrook also stressed that despite issues with the law school, Capital’s main campus is as strong as ever. “University enrollment remains strong, overall,” Ashbrook said. “There were 2,351 traditional undergraduate students registered for fall on the first day of the semester, which is above the numbers for 2011 and 2012. Main campus graduate program enrollment is also higher than last year. The university has also held tuition increases to a minimum, 2.0% for traditional undergraduate students and 1.6% for law students.”
Despite this new surplus in the University budget, the administration is still looking for ways to better streamline the University as a whole. Ashbrook laid out a series of changes that the university has made at the administrative level, focusing around a single goal: efficiency. To achieve this goal, Capital has made numerous cuts from their budget, most noticeably and controversially in faculty and staff.
“The University is more closely integrating the two campuses as a whole, reducing inefficiencies, eliminating redundancies, moderating costs, and creating a seamless administrative structure,” Ashbrook said. “A total of 29 full-time positions have been left vacant for the next fiscal year, and a total of 20 full-time positions have been eliminated at the law school and on the main campus.”
Among these staffing changes, Capital saw the moving of both Dr. Betty Lovelace-Ross and Brad Pulcini to the Law school, as well as the elimination of the position of Campus Pastor held by Rev. Amy Oehlschlaeger, just to name a few. Many staff, such as Jan Rich in the Career Development office, were also cut to half-time or part-time.
While others were shifted into new positions, “Dr. Jody Fournier was appointed dean of studies, and will work closely with Student and Community Engagement, Academic Success, and Career Development,” Ashbrook said. The former Director of Church Relations, Rev. Gary Sandberg, will also be moving to occupy the new position of “Dean of the Chapel.”
These cuts have been across the board, affecting both campuses as well as numerous different departments; however, a criticism that has erupted in the university’s recent remodeling projects that have been taking place in the campus center as well as at Kerns Religious life center. Despite appearances, improvements made on Capital’s infrastructure are something that is taken into account when figuring out the annual budget.
“By increasing enrollment on the main campus and as a result of our careful stewardship, we’ve been fortunate to have multiple years of operating surpluses,” Ashbrook said. “These annual surpluses (combined with the cash generated from depreciation expense) are used to fund our capital improvement plan. Each year we set aside 20% of the surplus for significant future projects, like replacement of Loy, renovation of Battelle Hall, or construction of a new wing on the Campus Center. By saving now for these projects, we’ll avoid the future cost of debt service, much the same way it’s better to pay cash for a new car or make a large down payment on a new home.”
The surplus, however, has led to more than just physical changes in the university. There have been considerable improvements in other areas as well. There are bigger and better plans still in the works to build on this summer’s improvements.
“The university’s most recent master plan has imagined an expanded Campus Center or student union, though this plan – which projects improvements several years ahead – has described construction as an addition to the current structure and renovation of the existing space,” Ashbrook said.
“The work that was performed last summer will compliment a future addition. There are no immediate plans to renovate the second floor of the Campus Center, though these projects often are proposed during the capital improvement planning process that begins later in the academic year. As far as Battelle and Renner Halls, the university continues to discuss future plans for both of these buildings. Last year, the university replaced several mechanical systems in Battelle to improve air handling, ventilation, and air conditioning.”
abutts@capital.edu
