The enrollment head count for Emporia State has shown an increase of 19 students from spring 2009, accounting for 0.3 percent increase, according to the Kansas Board of Regents.

“A whole lot of people did a whole lot of hard work during the semester to bring in some new students,” said Michael Lane, president of ESU. “I’m very pleased with the efforts of our admissions folks as well as the faculty and staff who worked with them on it.”

A total increase of 1,886, 2.2 percent, was reported throughout the state in six Regents universities, according to the KBOR.

However, ESU had the lowest increase, while Fort Hays State University had the highest increase, with 961 students, and the University of Kansas had a decrease of 39 students.

“One of the main strategies that we are working on is making sure that the campus is involved in the recruiting process,” said James Williams, associate provost for enrollment management and vice president of strategic partnerships. “It’s far more dynamic than just what the admissions staff does. It includes faculty. It includes students.”

To make up for the deficit of nearly 100 students in enrollment from last semester, an effort was made to recruit new students.

“We always try to work on improving retention. I know the most significant part of our increase was in new start students, new start freshman and new start transfers,” Lane said.

Noel-Levitz, a higher education consulting firm, will review ESU’s techniques to gain students.

“They will be doing a review of our procedures and our processes, from our marketing to our communication with prospective students, to how we recruit students,” Williams said. “They will work with us on continuing to structure (our programs).”

With the recent growth in attendance at community colleges, Williams said that it is important for ESU to try to build partnerships with community colleges to help students as much as possible.

“We need to be getting students that go to other institutions,” Williams said. “We need to be capturing those students.”

As a part of this effort, ESU has established programs at Butler Community College and Hutchinson Community College, as well as continuing efforts at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

“This fall, we will see the first enrollments in the business program at BCC,” Williams said. “We’ll have the first real strong beginning process with HCC. We have reviewed our agreements with KCKCC.”

As a part of these programs, it will be easier for students attending these community colleges to continue their educations at ESU.

“With Hutchinson, we’ve developed a dual enrollment program,” Williams said. “When those students transition here, they will have taken what they need to complete the degree in two years.”

A similar program will exist within the Business and Elementary Education Departments at Butler.

“We need to develop these agreements so that’s seamless transition for the student,” Williams said. “If enrollment is going up in the community colleges, it only makes sense that we need to recruit more transfer students.”

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“The students’ voice since 1901.” That’s The Bulletin’s motto.

But with the help of administrators, it will soon be “The administration’s voice since 2009.”

For 108 years, this newspaper, the one you’re holding in your hands right now or reading online, has provided the students at Emporia State an outlet to express themselves and a medium for them to learn about their campus and the people on it. It has not, and will not, be a mouthpiece for the administration.

Sometimes what we write is positive. Sometimes it’s not. But something we strive for – above how it reflects on the school or administration – is providing accurate, relevant information to the student body.

From a journalist’s point of view, President Lane has been secretive and very much the opposite of his favorite word – transparent.

It’s hard for a student newspaper to tell all sides of a story when one of the key players repeatedly declines interviews and meetings (please note the blank pulled quote on page one).  The only correspondence I’ve received from Lane is the letter at the top of this page. We’ve printed both letters so that you can decide how well you think Lane addresses the issues at hand. Let me also note, that before I submitted the above letter, I also wrote and hand-delivered a letter requesting to meet. It did not garner a response.

Lanes’ relationship with The Bulletin now mirrors that of his relationship to the entire student body. How can he run a university successfully if he doesn’t make himself available?

I urge you to leave your office on the second floor of Plumb Hall. Mingle with us. Sit in on our classes. Eat the cafeteria food. Paint some pottery in the union. Loosen up.

As always, I welcome any dialogue with the administration and students.

And President Lane, if you’re reading, since you’re reading, please contact me so we can move forward. I’ll be waiting.

Kelsey Ryan/The Bulletin

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