Noland addresses enrollment, budget in State of the University Address

ETSU President Brian Noland gave a State of the University Address Friday morning giving enrollment and budget updates, detailing ETSU’s COVID-19 response and announcing the second chapter of the Committee for 125.

Noland addressed the impact of COVID-19 on the university’s enrollment and budget.

Enrollment at ETSU is down from last year by 446 undergraduate students, and 474 students altogether. Noland said that universities across Tennessee are facing lower enrollment numbers.

 “Our numbers at ETSU are pretty much right in line with what you’re seeing across the state university sector,” said Noland.

Enrollment numbers in Tennessee community colleges are much lower, which is predicted to affect ETSU’s future enrollment numbers as many students transfer to ETSU from community colleges.

“I’m concerned about the community college trends from an access perspective,” said Noland. “Because community colleges are the front door through which low-income, first-generation and working students gain access.”

Due to decreased enrollment, budget deficits in the ETSU College of Arts and Sciences, tenure and promotion adjustments, the removal of the salary enhancement pool and the addition of funds to the phased reopening plan, ETSU is expected to have a revenue shortfall totaling $8,294,676.

“We still had to make some budget adjustments because of the declining enrollment,” said Noland. “I’m proud of the work that the campus has done to make these adjustments, and I’m also proud of the manner in which we worked through this process in a shared governance spirit over the course of the summer.”

To limit spending, vacant positions and associated salaries will be restricted in 2020-2021, as well as purchasing restrictions, travel limitations, operations and utilities maximization and limitations on central temporary and contract hires. A voluntary retirement incentive program was also offered to faculty and staff with 77 staff participants and 25 faculty participants.

Though enrollment numbers are down, ETSU’s retention and graduation rates are up. Seventy-eight percent of students who start college at ETSU returned to ETSU, which is the highest retention rate in ETSU’s history. Fifty percent of students who started at ETSU graduated from ETSU, tying with the graduation rate from last year. During the 2019-2020 academic year, 3,746 degrees were conferred from ETSU.

Noland also outlined the steps ETSU has taken to help the campus and students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m pleased to announce to the campus that earlier this month we distributed $1.8 million in fallout resources predicated on our budget model to units all across the campus,” said Noland.

Noland said the resources would have been retained by central administration prior to the implementation of the decentralized budget model.

ETSU also received CARES Act funding, and $5,092,960 was distributed to 8,332 students. Some funding remains available for students who are currently facing financial hardships due to COVID-19.

Noland also talked about the Committee for 125. The committee sets and works toward ETSU’s vision for the state of the university in 2036.

“I’m pleased to announce today the launch of chapter two of the Committee of 125,” said Noland.

Noland detailed the committee’s work in early 2020, such as a strategic marketing review, an equity and inclusion strategic plan, an admission and enrollment review, a community engagement task force, an advising task force, a scholarship review, program development, combining graduate studies and continuing studies into one college and a senior leadership retreat.

Noland also explained the committee’s plans for late 2020, which include surveys and focus groups about student, staff and faculty satisfaction with the university, and early 2021, which includes a higher education landscape analysis, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats report and strategic vision guide, strategic development and a revised vision for the university.

“2020 has thrown a little bit of everything at us as a university,” said Noland. “But it hasn’t changed who we are – an institution where we place our people first, an institution where we’ve responded to COVID a little bit differently than others and an institution where I’m extremely proud of the work that we’ve done as a campus to ensure that we’re able to provide a safe learning experience for our students, faculty and staff.”