enrollment continued
Student Devdtpimt
1991 - 92 was another year of growth, improvements, and positive change for the
area of Student Development There was a concensus by students, faculty and staff that
the atmosphere on campus was the best it has been in years. Excitement over the return
to four-year status seemed to permeate everything. The enthusiasm of the sophomores
over becoming the first junior class in Chowan’s modem era was contagious!
Perhaps the most positive changes were the new food service in the cafeteria and
the revision of the residence hall visitation policy. Food is always a morale factor.
Pior»eer College Caterers has altered institutional food jokes forever. Students and their
parents were bragging on the quality of the food! Even the local pizza establishments
initiated campus deUvery service.
In response to student requests, the residence hall visitation pcrficy was significantly
increased placing more responsibility upon the students for adherence and enforcement.
The student body met the challenge in fme fashion. There were only a few minor
infractions of the new policy.
The re-location and refurbishment of the Trading Post (Campus Bookstore) and the
Snack Bar were beautiful additions to the campus. The addition of Harden Chapel
provided a much-needed place for personal and group prayer and worship.
There were vast improvements in student services as we continue to strive for
scrvice excellence. The loss of Mary Jo Byrd to the Admissions Office was lessened by
the acquisition of Winslow Carter to serve as Dean of Student Development. He
immediately had a positive impact upon student services.
Residence Hall programming was at an all-time high - thanks to an outstanding
residence hall staff! Prograimning included such events as special seminars on date
rape, beach trips, camping trips and other outings. Alcohol Awareness Programs were
sponsored each month by the Counseling Office. The intramural program offered a
wide variety of activities and the level of participation was great. Gerald Spruill was
instrumental in the formation of a Club Soccer Team.
The Student Development Staff is a veteran one, operating as a close-knit team as it
interfaces with students, dieir parents, the faculty, the staff and the community. The
office exists to serve students and to meet their needs.
Overall, it was an excellent year! Even the worst event of the year brought about
some good. The tragic death of Jennifer Jones tenderized the campus and touched the
loves of students, faculty and staff as nothing has in a long time. It dramatically
reminded us of what life is about and how important our job of influencing young adults
is! Chowan continues to be a strategic place to simultaneously “be yourself’ and “find
yourself.”
Highlights of the Year
President’s Reception for new students
Residence Hall Workshops
Campus-wide student scavenger hunt
International Student Orientation
Spiritual Emphasis Week
SGA Dances & Concerts
Red Cross Bloodmobile
Campus Clubs & Organizations
BSU Mission Trip to Georgia
School Spirit Week & Homecoming Festivities
Parents Weekend
Movies, bands, magicians, comedians
Excellent inU'amural programs
Holy Week Emphasis
Spring Festival Activities
SGA Elections
pressed interest in Chowan. A
total of 45 students made applica
tion, 32 were accepted and 23
planned to enroll on August 22. In
addition, over 5,800 inquiries were
generated from a variety of
sources, including college fairs,
advertising, radio sports, telephone
calls, and student searchers. Direct
mail campaigns targeted Boards of
Trustees and Visitors, alumni,
guidance counselors, ministers of
youth and pastors, chambers of
commerce, and a ten-county area
defined as a primary market. A
special 8,500 piece mailing this
summer targeted Virginia seniors
who had not yet chosen a college
in response to capped enrollments
at Virginia colleges and universi
ties.
A new market segment of
homeschoolers was identified at an
annual convention of this group.
Advertising specific to the needs of
homeschoolers was placed in over
200 papers in North Carolina and
Virginia. Chowan advertised in
two homeschooling publications
(NC and VA), and plans have been
laid to increase dramatically our
outreach to this population.
Chowan hosted eight campus
visitation days totaling approxi
mately 190 guests. Group visits to
campus brought over 1,100 pros
pects, families, and influencers,
and individual private visits totaled
120.
Sixty-seven percent of our
freshmen applications come from
North Carolina and Virginia. The
other 33% comes largely from the
states of Florida, Maryland, New
Jersey, New Y ork, and South
Business
In 1991, 57% of all colleges
and universities nationwide re
ported the need to make mid-year
budget cuts. Chowan College
experienced a number of financial
stresses. However, we are very
pleased to report that through a
combination of difficult expense
reductions and other strategies, the
1991 - 92 school year ended well.
Actual operating revenue and
transfers amounted to approxi
mately $9.6 million. With expen
ditures just under that, the result
was an operating fund surplus of
$ 1,9.54. A number of budget
Carolina. A young, energetic,
highly motivated staff face the
challenge of marketing Chowan- -
The Four Year College. Plans are
to actively recruit in a much tighter
radius of 150-t- miles, emphasizing
stronger personal contacts at
specified public and private
schools. Greater focus is on the
private/independent schools.
Baptist church relations (in and out
of state) and the homeschooled.
The student enrollment staff will
actively seek to expand the alumni
network within their territories, to
increase referrals, inquiries and
applicants. We are stressing higher
academic standards, better institu
tional matches, and higher
women’s enrollment for the fall of
1993.
Plans are to rely on a profes
sional marketing/advertising
agency to provide expertise in
market research, direct mailings,
and advertising strategies. Every
effort is being made to define our
primary audiences and reach them
with the most cost effective meth
ods available.
The task for student enrollment
is difficult. Our goals require
commitment, dedication, and
professional service from the entire
campus community. We have a
lofty but worthy mission at
Chowan College—to provide
quality higher education in a
Christian atmosphere.
The student enrollment staff is
equally committed to enrolling a
student body who can carry on our
college mission by graduating from
Chowan—The Four Year College.
We stand ready for the challenge.
Affairs.
design enhancements have been
implemented through the course of
the year to improve our ability to
monitor and allocate our resources.
More than 350 students were
served on the Deferred Payment
Plan, which allows qualified
families to pay tuition and fees in
regular payments each semester.
Additional resources and alterna
tives to assist parents in paying
college tuition are being explored
as affordability becomes increas
ingly difficult for students.
The endowment fund, an
important source of stable revenue
for Chowan, achieved a commend
able investment return in excess of
10%, despite a conservative strat
egy. The market value of the fund
as of May 31, 1992 stood at ap
proximately $8.9 million.
To permit greater flexibility in
responding to the external
economy and enrollment Ouctua-
tions, we decided to contract our
custodial and food services to
outside vendors. Cenplex Building
Services and Pioneer College
Caterers assumed responsibility for
these areas at mid-year.
As we continue on schedule in
the process of becoming a four
year institution, we are increasong
efforts to plan ahead. This in
cludes projecting needs for new
faculty, the adaptation of existing
and new programs, and researching
the financial implications of each
decision. A planning committee
comprised of all segments of the
campus is in place to assist in this
effort.
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