20 Oct Report from the Director of Higher Education

Dr. G. Blair Dowden (right), as president of Huntington University, is automatically the Director of Higher Education. Here are some tidbits from his written and verbal report to the Executive Leadership Team on October 12, 2010.

The overall enrollment his 1278 for the fall 2010 semester, exceeding enrollment projections by 44. That includes:

• 1040 traditional undergraduates.
• 148 students in the EXCEL Adult Degree Program.
• 90 students pursing master’s degrees in the HU Graduate School.

Other notes about the student body:

• There are students from 35 states.
• 33 international students represent 20 countries–the largest grow of international students in at least two decades.
• The incoming class of 320 new fulltime students was the second largest in the university’s history.
• The number of new Untied Brethren students increased from 28 in 2009 to 35 in 2010–the highest number of new UB students since 2002. The UB church is consistently the largest single denomination represented in the student body.

The Campaign for Huntington University is approaching the $10 million mark toward an overall goal of $21 million.

• Renovations are currently underway in Becker Hall (the former Administration Building) to create new classrooms, studios, and labs for the Digital Media arts program.
• New bleachers were installed in the Merillat Complex–the first of many planned renovations.

Huntington University has received some noteworthy rankings:

• US News: #8 among the Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the Midwest Region, and #5 in the Best Values category for Baccalaureate Colleges in the Midwest.
• Forbes.com: Among the top 15% of colleges in the United States.
• Princeton Review: on the “Best in the Midwest” list.
• Washington Monthly: one of the Top 50 baccalaureate colleges in the nation.

HU hired 7 new faculty this year. Of the 60 fulltime teaching faculty, 48 (80%) hold earned doctorates.

Huntington University is gaining a greater presence in Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana. Significant on-air and off-air promotion of HU has developed through a strategic alliance with Fort Wayne Christian radio station Star 88.3. The number of students form Fort Wayne has increased.

HU made significant progress on several diversity initiatives. United States ethnic minorities now comprise 5% of the student population. In 2009-2010, the university community had a year-long emphasis on diversity. Book studies, chapel program, special guest lectures, and other activities centered on the theme “One in Christ” explored racial reconciliation as an outgrowth of our Christ-centeredness.

State funding was cut 31% last year and another 7% this year.