University needs to focus on recruitment
In a town where half the population is made up of residents and the other half consists of students at the University of South Dakota, it should be a priority to keep that number steady, maybe even let it increase some.
With the incoming student population down by 174 students this year, it’s apparent something needs to change.
Instead of spending the much-needed money on landscaping and appearance upgrades, it should be spent on recruiting new students to come to USD and enjoy life in Vermillion. With new looks and beautiful, modern updates around campus — which may have been one of the university’s ploys to bring more students to campus — more of those funds could have gone toward recruitment.
The future of USD is the students, and if we’re not increasing our student population little by little each year, then what are we striving for?
The university is leaving the students behind as it disperses its focus in too many different directions. Amounts raised so far for the Onward Campaign were astounding when announced to the public Friday, and with a goal of $250 million, we have high hopes.
These funds are meant to improve the lives of students as the majority will go toward scholarships and new facilities for students to take advantage of. But if there are not enough students around to experience all of those nice things, then the justification of this campaign is awry.
In September, President James Abbott said during the State of the University Address he wants to see more first-years on campus. But alas, the numbers have gone down.
Things are not shaping up to how our president wants them. As a liberal arts, flagship university of the state, we should be constantly improving, constantly showing the new students why it is so significant and beneficial to become a ‘Yote and what advantages come with attending college in such a great community.
Let’s put the focus back on the students. They’re the future — the future of the university, the future employees of the state, the future leaders of the world. We should be striving to bring in those with such potential to wear Coyote red.
People graduate from USD and go on to bigger and better things, but always keep the school close to their hearts. It’s where they learned about challenges in life and how the lifelong friends they’ve met can help them through the stressful moments. They learned to manage their time well and how to stretch their boundaries a little.
Put the focus back on the students, and success in numbers is sure to come.
(Photo: First-years file out of the DakotaDome after the Class of 2018 Convocation ceremony Aug. 22. File photo / The Volante)
