Editor's Note: This is the second in a five-part series on Ohio University's regional campuses.
Ohio University-Chillicothe, like OU's other regional campuses, was used to being a commuter school - there are no residence halls, about 45 percent of the students are over 25 and everyone drives to campus. But suddenly, its parking lot was too full.
The 100-acre campus in Chillicothe, with five buildings and an outdoor training complex, attracted 2,191 full-time students this year, an increase of 16 percent over last year. In response to the growing enrollment, Dean Richard Bebee launched the Parkway Project - completed at the end of Fall Quarter - adding a plaza and additional parking lots in front of the campus.
All five OU regional campuses have seen dramatic enrollment increases in the last few years, which makes them even more valuable to the university as it tries to grow. With the Athens campus nearly at capacity, it will be largely up to the regional campuses to bring OU more students in the next few years.
Administrators attribute the recent increase to the sour economy, which has left fewer students able to afford residential campuses and pushed many unemployed workers to seek new careers. The campuses also launched larger recruitment campaigns this year.
I think one of the major things is the way we go into schools now
said Kevin Chenoweth, student services manager on the Eastern Campus. He added that for traditional students, those entering college right out of high school, post-secondary programs and the option to take college courses during high school are key recruiting tools.
Regional campuses face different recruiting challenges than the Athens campus, partly because of their locations, but also because their target audience is much broader, also aiming for people who have careers and have been out of school for years.
Not only do we recruit in different geographic areas but we recruit different demographics said T.J. Eveland, Chillicothe's student recruitment manager.
Regional campuses and the Athens campus handle traditional student recruitment similarly, said Pat Fox, enrollment manager on the Lancaster Campus. That involves school visits and college fairs. But the regional campuses also actively recruit students the Athens Campus denies, arguing they can start their OU education at a branch campus and then move to Athens. The regional campuses operate through open enrollment - anyone with a high school degree or equivalent can enroll.
You're still receiving an OU education; however
you're able to stay at home in the comfort of your own home to do that
Fox said.
Eveland said he also emphasizes the OU name when he's trying to attract students.
(The campus) does have a homey-type feel ... but we're not standalone
he said. We have the Athens resources with the Ohio University reputation.
All of the regional campuses also recruit non-traditional students - people older than 23 who have not been enrolled since high school. For those efforts, recruiters work with Job and Family Services departments and local businesses. Several campuses also offer programs for people who have been out of high school for a given period of time and do not have a higher degree. They can take a college course for free to test it out.
They take something that is going to get them back into thinking
Fox said. Bringing new programs to campus has really increased our enrollment.
However, the success of the regional recruitment efforts does complicate some things. Bill Willan, dean at Southern Campus, said he and his program directors are pleased to see more of their programs at or nearing capacity, but that it could require additional resources in the future.
OU budgeted about $55 million for the five regional campuses and two satellite centers for this fiscal year.
We have had to add some sections in terms of general education
and as they go into particular disciplines
particular majors
we may find we have to shore up
Willan said.
On the regional campuses, many departments are actually made up of one faculty member per campus. While those departments usually do not offer four-year degrees, adding students could strain a one-professor department.
Still, regional administrators say they're working toward a goal of 10,000 students total, up from nearly 9,000 this year, and that the five campuses can handle extra students.
We are poised for growth
