While enrollment numbers for the fall semester have not surpassed the university’s goal, changes in the Baker University recruitment and enrollment process bring hope for future semesters.
“We’re not quite to the goals, but we’re still in good shape,” Mark Bandre, vice president for enrollment management and student development, said. “This year we’ll be somewhere between 850 and 900 (students on the Baldwin City campus). So over a long term, we hope to grow a little bit. We’re laying a lot of ground work in admissions, student affairs and other areas just to help make Baker that much more attractive.”
Incoming freshmen numbers have topped last fall’s freshman class with 202 incoming freshmen, which is 17 more than last year according to Judy Smrha, assistant dean for student engagement and success. Transfer student numbers are about 10 students behind the number of transfers last year.
Changes have been made to increase incoming transfer students through summer orientation and enrollment days.
“Transfer students have different needs than our first year students, so we created two days that were specific to transfer students, focusing on different needs in sessions,” Director of Student Life Brett Bruner said. “Through the creation of our transfer student program, we’re showing that we truly are genuinely interested in meeting the needs of our transfer students.”
In total, Bandre estimates 250 to 260 new students.
Although numbers are lower than previous years, the addition of the wrestling and women’s bowling program in 2009 must be taken into consideration.
“You can’t really compare apples to apples between the two,” Bandre said.
In order to increase enrollment numbers in the future, changes in marketing are taking place.
“We’re changing the way that we try to get people to look at Baker in the first place, so the marketing materials, the things we take out to high school visits and college programs. We’ve changed quite a bit the way we operate,” Bandre said.
The university hopes to find a balance between mailed letters and technology, using text and email blasts and Facebook in addition to brochures that are mailed to students.
This fall, Baker will go through its 10 year accreditation process, which requires a detailed self-study of the university. This study will determine strengths and unique distinctiveness of Baker, and in turn, may help increase the student population to reach the desired goal of 1200 students.
“Over time, trying to grow towards those higher numbers is a matter of working within the strengths of the university,” Bandre said.