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Marietta College’s trustees say finding ways to build enrollment and market their most successful programs are the key to getting the college back on solid financial footing.
A breakfast held Thursday in honor of departing Marietta College President Joe Bruno and his wife, Diane, at the Peoples Bank Theatre put not only his time as president on the center stage, but also the future of the school. Those in attendance, including board and community members, shared their thoughts on the painful cuts made at the college recently as well as how the school can rebound.
“The next president will need to be one that gets along with the faculty and also has realistic expectations for the circumstances of, not only the college, but the world economically,” said Barb Moberg, a community member invitee and former Marietta City Schools teacher. “It’s a tough road ahead for whoever fills the position.”
With decreased enrollment by almost 300 students since the 2009-10 academic year and several rounds of budget and personnel cuts (most recently, in September, a $1.875 million budget decrease), the future of the college was on the minds of many.
“Marietta College has had three financial depressions…in the 1930s, the 1970s when I was the financial officer, and now,” said Bob Kirkbride, former financial officer at Marietta College. “Joe (Bruno) has served during an unpleasant time of which resources are tight. When you have a declining budget, you have to say ‘no’ to a lot of people, some that end up not liking you because of it.”
Kirkbride, who was the vice president of administration and finance at the institution in the 1970s, was just one of more than 60 in attendance for the breakfast along with community members from area groups, former MC trustees and current cabinet and board members.
Starting in spring 2014, Marietta College made an initial round of personnel cuts by cutting 20 full-time positions for a savings of $1.1 million. Over the course of the next year and a half, an additional 19 faculty members will no longer be employed due to layoffs or retirements.
Board of Trustees Chair George Fenton said a decrease in enrollment isn’t just a localized trend.
“There are fewer high schools seniors, particularly in the Midwest…but it’s definitely a national trend we’re seeing develop in recent years,” he explained.
As a plan of action for combating low enrollment, Fenton said the college could do so by embarking on new methods of marketing and promotion.
“We are addressing the enrollment decline by making Marietta College easier to spot, through advertising and with our mobile-friendly website,” he explained. “It’s a process, and there’s always more work to do. The need to use our financials wisely will continue to be here.”
The college and its board wants to better promote the programs MC has to offer as well as the considered value of its degree options and tuition costs.
“We have so many resources to be proud of, like our oil and gas programs and leadership program,” said Chuck Sulerzyski, board of trustees member. “We need to get people on our campus to see it, to see what we have to offer. Marietta College offers quality education at an affordable price.”
According to the school’s website, the 2016-17 tuition cost-not including student activity fee, standard room and board, use of health center and a fee for freshman orientation- is $33,140. That is 28 percent more than the national average private nonprofit four-year college tuition of $25,219. In addition, MC’s cost for tuition is $14,368 more expensive than the average Ohio tuition of $17,847 for a four-year degree.
Sulerzyski said the No. 1 job to accomplish for whoever takes over as president will be to build enrollment, necessary to provide sustainability for the private, not-for-profit institution.
According to a statement released by the college Jan. 18, a committee composed of co-chairs, current and former trustees, students, staff and community members have selected R. H. Perry & Associates to help guide the search for MC’s 19th president.
The college, if the search is successful, plans to have a permanent president in place by this summer.
“If our search, however, does not yield us a candidate well suited to take over, we maintain the option of hiring an interim president for the 2016-17 academic year,” explained Fenton in the release.
Fenton added that the search will be confidential with finalists not being publicized.
Bruno said at the breakfast Thursday that, after stepping down the end of the current semester in May, he has no definitive plans as to “what’s next.”
“The future is wide open,” shared Bruno who, in conjunction with his wife, will still maintain positions on various community boards like the Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce and Marietta Gardening Club.