By Ellen Chaffee 

Last week I explained that VCSU’s Growth Plan for 2008-2010 emphasizes increasing the number of online graduate students and the number of intercollegiate sports, which would lead to more student athletes on campus. Growth of the graduate program is well underway. Growing sports requires a good deal of hard work and commitment, but it could pay off handsomely in the next three to five years.
There is more to the story. The Growth Plan involves the entire university in a multi-faceted campaign to grow enrollment.
On the academic side, faculty members are taking their courses and programs to new levels on the two dimensions that already give VCSU a distinctive niche: relating to real world practicalities and capitalizing on the technology edge. These qualities are not only central to a VCSU education, but they are also highly valued both by young people who want hands-on experience and by adult learners who have very practical reasons for taking classes.
For example, programs in business and information technologies are working with the Institute for Customized Business Solutions to revise programs and create new options, with support on the “soft skills” side of the business equation from faculty in communication arts. In addition, VCSU’s health sciences program fits the real world/technology emphasis very well and is gearing up for expansion. The next step is a planned two-year nursing program in Valley City in collaboration with local health care providers and Minot State-Bottineau, scheduled to begin next fall.
In addition to these enhancements, we will increase student scholarships and streamline services for students.
Promotion and recruiting are essential elements of the plan. Each of the key program changes will receive customized marketing services. To increase awareness of VCSU in key regions, we are working with a communications firm on a VCSU awareness campaign. VCSU will launch an updated, recruiting-focused VCSU web site next summer.
Another new VCSU initiative is in development, for which we will seek supplemental funding from federal, state, or foundation sources: a multi-campus strategy to bring “just in time, right on target, where you are” learning opportunities for adults throughout eastern North Dakota. Whether one is looking for job qualifications, knowledge to qualify for promotions or career changes, or personal enrichment, the goal will be to match adult learners with convenient and appropriate learning opportunities. Our experience working with Sheyenne Care Center and others to bring nursing education to the community persuades us that we could find make a big difference for individuals and employers through such a project.
Several pieces of the Growth Plan have specific enrollment goals. Others are more difficult to quantify but they are also enrollment drivers. The goal for fall 2008 is to have at least 1,050 students, an increase of about 65 from last fall. The following year, we believe we could have at least 1,125, and at least 1,400 after full implementation of the athletic plan, which could be as early as 2012, depending on financing and construction schedules.
Now that’s growth!