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Class of 2004 arrives
Pleased administrators welcome the largest First-year class in recent
history; early success of the Vision and Strategy for Guilford College
Daniel Fleishman
NEWS EDITOR
One year ago, the Guilford
College entering Class of 2003
had an abnormally low number
of students: only 233. This year,
in concert with plans to increase
enrollment—known as the Vi
sion and Strategy for Guilford
College —the First-year student
population increased inordi
nately, to 325.
The Vision and Strategy,
presented in mid-January by
College President Don
McNemar, calls for an increase
in student enrollment and re
tention. The 325 First-year stu
dents far exceeded their goal of
290.
A secondary goal of the plan
emphasizes that Guilford draw
in more student athletes and a
greater proportion of North
Carolinians. Randy Doss, Dean
of Admissions, estimates that 25
percent of the Class of 2004 are
athletes, compared to 20 percent
of the class of 2003. And as of
August 12, 36 percent are from
North Carolina, while only 23
percent of last fall's incoming
class is from this state.
Guilford administration's
decision to increase the number
GUILFORDIAN
Greensboro, NC
of North Carolinians is primarily
fiscally motivated. When the col
lege became financially unstable
last year as a result of the dimin
ished student body, money became
issue number one. Students from
North Carolina receive financial
aid from the state to pay for tu
ition, while students from out-of
state must rely on only the college
to cover their expenses. An in
crease of in-state students would
simply mean the school could now
afford to stay afloat.
"We don't have to spend as
much Guilford money; it just
makes more economic sense," said
Doss.
J.J. McEachearn, Director of
the First-Year Center, has long
been anticipating this incoming
crop of students. "Not only is it a
large class, but it's a class that
brings so many diverse parts to the
college," he said. "It brings, of
course, the athletic numbers up,
and you have a lot more students
from North Carolina. But it just
changes the dynamics of the col
lege, and I'm just excited about it.
I think it could, in the long run,
help Guilford, especially in North
Carolina, and especially on cam
pus."
The means by which Guilford
College would increase enroll
ment was of concern to some stu-
dents. They feared Admissions
would accept a higher percentage
of applicants, thus lowering their
standards, and diminish the aca
demic standing of the school.
The acceptance rate this
year was 77.7 percent, 75.8 per
cent last year, and 76.3 percent
two years ago.
The college increased en
rollment by hiring a slew of
alumni to work as recruiters,
whose job it was to increase high
school students' awareness of
Guilford and what it has to of
fer.
"It's based on the notion —
really the conclusion—that
Guilford had done not as good a
job of selling itself as it could,"
See 2004, page 3
The Guilfordian
c/o Student Activities
5800 W. Friendly Ave.
Greensboro, NC 27410
tp
August 25, 2000