Covenant News

North Park Undergrad Enrollment Up 100 Students

CHICAGO, IL (August 31, 2005) - North Park University expects an enrollment increase of 100 undergraduate students from 2004 levels, says Mark Olson, dean of enrollment and director of church relations. As classes are set to begin, enrollment also promises to be strong at a number of Covenant educational institutions, according to school representatives.

Final enrollment figures at North Park could reach more than 1,600 students, Olson says. He noted that less than 1,000 students attended the school 12 years ago.

Olson says this year's dramatic enrollment increase is due to several factors: a new tuition and financial aid restructuring program; getting an earlier start on recruitment; enhanced customer service; and improvements of campus grounds.

Enrollment at the university last year included 480 new undergraduate students. This year, final enrollment is expected to be between 575 and 580, Olson says. Those figures include transfer students as well as freshmen.

Earlier this year, NPU announced a new tuition and financial aid restructuring that caught national attention. Published tuition for first-time students for the 2005-2006 academic year is now $13,900, representing nearly a 32 percent decrease from the $20,350 published price for last fall.

Olson says the previously published price was misleading as few incoming students ever pay that amount because academic scholarships and financial aid packages reduced tuition expenses. The decrease has been a major step in helping North Park make a more favorable first impression on families seeking colleges for their children, he believes.

The restructuring "caught a lot of people's attention," Olson says. Many of those who were attracted were transfer students. "They've been in school at least a year already. They're more economically savvy and they know what's out there," he explained.

Although some institutions across the country have made similar changes in their structure to help turn around worsening financial situations, Olson says "We are the only one operating out of institutional strength."

Olson added that the number of students from families in the Covenant has increased. The number of clergy dependents also has risen.

Olson also said that the number of returning students promises to be up significantly, which he said was an indication of satisfaction with the education students are receiving. This year, approximately 1,000 students are returning compared to 928 last year.

In addition to the new financial structure, earlier recruitment of students also has contributed to the increase in students, Olson says. Recruitment began July 1 last year as opposed to August 1 the year before. Previous to that, efforts had begun in September.

Intensive recruitment is expected to begin in the spring next year, Olson says. "You have to give them enough information early," he explains. "By September 1, they have a short list. If you're not on that short list, you lose."

Students are beginning to think about college plans much earlier than in previous years. Students as young as those in eighth grade already are beginning to consider where they are going to attend, Olson says.

"The administration staff did a great job," Olson says, adding that complaints were down dramatically over several years past. "The feedback we got from parents was outstanding."

Key to the "significant process" in improving customer relations was the creation of a customer service center where parents and prospective students could get their questions answered from one person rather than shuffling them through different departments, Olson says. "It's one-stop shopping."

The continued beautification of the campus was a factor in attracting some students, Olson adds. "There were students who wrote on their (application) essays that they wanted to study at this beautiful campus in the city. It wasn't everyone, but there were some."

North Park Theological Seminary also has experienced strong enrollment. Ninety-one students in degree and certificate programs have enrolled this year, according to Jay Phelan, president and dean. Included in those numbers are the 20 participants in the Center for Spiritual Direction.

Centro Hispano de Estudios Teologicos (CHET) also boast healthy enrollment figures with 100 new and 250 returning students, says President Jorge Maldonado.

The school is starting a new program in bilingual community transformation and compassion ministries, Maldonado says. The coursework at the school, which generally serves pastors serving in Hispanic contexts, is being taught in English because the students often will have to do fundraising in English.

Maldonado says the program will focus on topics such as how to motivate a church, organize a board, survey community needs and develop self-sustaining programs. He expects 15 to 20 students to participate the first year.

"We have been dreaming and planning for this for years," Maldonado says.

Keith Hamilton, president of Alaska Christian College says 30 students are starting classes at the school. The school will have a difficult time awarding promised scholarships to the 18 new and 12 returning students due to a lawsuit that seeks to bar the use of federal funds at the institution.

The Madison, WI-based Freedom From Religion Foundation filed suit on April 21 against the U.S. Department of Education, charging that $431,000 scheduled grants to ACC were unconstitutional. The group argues that funding violates the Constitution because ACC "promotes whole-life discipleship, including teaching from the Bible and teaching about faith in Christ."

The allocation comprised 34 percent of the college's budget, says Hamilton. The college is operated by the Evangelical Covenant Church of Alaska.

Other Covenant institutions have begun this week or are scheduled to start classes within the next two weeks:

• Covenant Bible College (CBC) in Ecuador started classes Monday with an enrollment of 36.
• CBC Canada begins September 5 with an enrollment of 58.
• CBC Colorado classes resume September 12 with 40 students.

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