In a university with a 2009-2010 undergraduate price tag of $30,940 and a budget driven primarily by tuition dollars, the nationwide economic crisis could spell trouble for Saint Louis University.
SLU President Lawrence Biondi’s March message served to update the community on the effects of the poor economic climate on the university.
“SLU remains strong financially,” he said, adding that the University won’t know how much of an impact the economic crisis will have on new student enrollment and retention of current students until after the summer.
Cautious optimism might best sum up the Office of Enrollment Management’s attitude. Vice Provost of Enrollment Management Boyd Bradshaw reported that applications and admits for prospective students are up 5 percent and 4 percent, respectively, from last year. At the same time, Bradshaw said that numbers of deposits for prospective students are down 13 percent.
“This is a common trend for all colleges and universities,” he said. “Most students are waiting to review their financial aid offers before making a decision.”
It will be hard to say what will happen with prospective students’ deposits until after the national deposit deadline on May 1, Bradshaw said.
Through recruitment efforts like the Be a Billiken campaign, SLU has begun to narrow its focus on growing interests in specific geographic areas like Chicago, Bradshaw said.
Enrollment is also planning to bus some students to SLU, if their financial situation is too precarious to afford traveling.
“If we can get them to campus, it’s a huge selling point,” Bradshaw said.
Tough times won’t mean lower standards, though, Bradshaw said.
“It’s very important to SLU to maintain its integrity and quality; that’s what makes a SLU education unique,” he said.
Retaining current students will also be an important part of keeping SLU’s budget up. Bradshaw cited a 2 percent undergraduate tuition increase for next year as essential. There will also be a new University loan program and an emergency scholarship fund instituted for students whose financial situation suddenly changes. Such students should get in touch with the Office of Student Financial Services.
International students will also be a key part of maintaining enrollment at SLU. International undergraduate applications are up 29 percent from last year, according to International Services Director Bert Barry. Students from China make up the bulk of the international applications.
Barry attributes this to increased recruitment and a “strong” English As a Second Language program.
