It’s shocking to look at the year by year decline in enrollment. One would think that Valpo would take an all hands on deck approach in recruiting students. But apparently they’ve decided to move away from using alumni to recruit students.
https://www.valpo.edu/institutional-effectiveness/institutional-research/enrollment-data/
I think @vuindiana is right.
Out of state students are only coming to Valpo because it’s 1) a Lutheran school or 2) a superior academic institution. Valpo is actively moving away from both of those things.
The notion that VU is moving away from being a premier higher education institution and a Lutheran institution is weird to me. Nothing suggests that VU is no longer a Christian school, or even a Lutheran School for that matter. The only thing VU has done in the realm of "dissenting from Lutheran Identities" is the removal of the German Degree. As many have pointed out, the notion that Lutheranism is ingrained in German is weird. Are Catholics no longer Catholic if their church doesn't sponsor a Latin mass? Are Lutherans no longer Lutheran if their congregation isn't exclusively in German. VU still has a requirement of theology courses. There are various other aspects of religion beyond the language in which it is founded, which VU has displayed. There is still an active chapel on campus in which the seal of the school resides. If VU was truly "loosing its identity" why was there no backlash against St T's. Surely Lutherans would have felt that the school was "loosing its identity" if a Catholic center were to be allowed on campus? There is still a heavy Christian Prescence on campus.
As for if VU is a superior Academic Institution. The answer is yes. VU would not be ranked as highly by independent sources if they weren't a strong academic institution. That #15 ranking in engineering and various accolades in the realm of nursing and business exist as well.
And the Brauer is pointedly not open.
https://www.valpotorch.com/news/article_06639c58-ea9f-11ed-bbed-1ff20d90bba2.html
My bad! This is the article I was referring to and it is dated in 2023!
@rezynezy My comment has nothing to do with any majors being discontinued. Rather, it’s about Valpo’s overall engagement with Lutherans. They’ve pulled out of Lutheran college fairs. They’ve discontinued the VAN. The active recruitment of Lutheran students has stopped more or less.
@mj08 which is disheartening, but not origional to luterans, they pulled out of most region college fairs some time ago. I feel as if this extends to marketing as well. Theh need to get back in college fairs as a whole. Lutheran. College fairs should probably take a focus.
@vuindiana Well. You seem to have hit it right on the money. I hope my demeaner and posts haven't given others the mindset of a "stupid kid who doesn't know any better" or "isn't invested in reality" because I know there are struggles within the school. I know quite a few people who are/were well invested within the community and the school. Blame my mother for my open mind and "glass half full mindset". I know there is precedent to suggest that these efforts are in vain, but I see no reason to discount efforts to better the situation until there is effective evidence that these efforts aren't working. I hope to not seem like rose tinted glasses, but a mindset of someone who isn't immediately going to poo poo any decision the university makes. The landscape of higher ed is changing, difficult decisions are going to be made across the board of higher ed.
As for prestige. In talking with peers, prestige only seems to matter with IVYs anymore. In polling peers, college decisions now are largely focused on a couple factors. Cost, strength(I guess this is synonymous with prestige to some), and in rare cases, sports. Its not so much of, wow this school is prestigious, more so than it is, how can I get a degree that looks good, can get me work, for the least amount of money. In my case IU Indy was the right decision as they offer a genuine Purdue or IU degree for a fraction of the cost of main campus. If I want sports, well, the school will shuttle students to either Purdue or IU for sporting events. There is also cultural implications. In Indiana its more, "Well engineers go to Purdue" or "Well, Business Majors go to IU" or "Well, Notre Dame is well known". At least that is what I have come up with when asking people in my tax bracket.
VU actually offers a great college experience in my opinion. Obviously I am not on campus, but having so many clubs and events, especially in the realm of athletics looks great to students. Really wish they would market this!
As for my not attending the school. Those reasons are embedded in the very criticisms I have for the school. Those being poor marketing, high cost, and little prescience within the community. Well, and Indy being a tech hub with great networking opportunities, but that is hardly under the universities control. I may be more sports oriented, but I research all the topics I discuss on the news end.
My biggest criticisms come in with the marketing and prescience. These weren't always bad. I remember multiple occasions of VU coming to speak with students at VCS schools and even being offered 2 tours during school hours. However, these tours stopped the year after my 8th grade tour. When VCS was perceivably banned from the grounds over a question one of my peers had about the law school I know I have said that question once before, but as far as I know, VCS has not been allowed back on campus since, and the prescience at College fairs and within NWI has stopped. Shutting down in the face of bad press is a horrible move for a university and I will stand by this. Until the university fixes their marketing strategy and gets back into the community, and goes back to College Fairs, their path foreword doesn't look good.
However I do thing there is a path foreword where VU survives. Call it the dreams of a wistful kid who doesn't know any better, but that is just my belief. Also Perennially Positive is my new tag. Thanks.
REZ AND INDY: Great dialogue.
Ya know, this discussion has, in many similar forms, been going on since I first joined this forum over a decade ago. I can’t count the number of times, I along with others, echoed virtually the same questions about apparent growth strategy (or the possible absence thereof).
At one point in the past (I’m not sure when, but others on this board would know) President Heckler set a goal of growing VU to 6,000 students - basically doubling the student body. Logic would tell you that to do that you simply make two major commitments:
1 >> You basically double (or more) your marketing and enrollment staff and budget and then begin blanketing the country’s target demographic to get the word out and recruit like crazy.
2 >> You seek out and reinforce vehicles that consistently publicize and place VU in front of people’s eyes regionally and nationally (and also internationally if possible).
And VUcould have done both without adding new buildings (at first) or going into deep multi-million $ debt -- you invest in people (faculty and staff - see 1 above) and attractive programs (academically plus student life, e.g, athletics [MBB?] see 2 above).
I’m thinking that didn’t fully happen. Like most things we’ve seen over time, more lip service than true commitment was offered. And now Valpo is saddled with the unfortunate result despite growing a $300+ million but restrictive endowment.
I know that others have mentioned the same thing at different times in the last few years, but I am a bit surprised at some recent personal interaction that I've had with folks that run the Valparaiso University Career & Alumni Network Facebook page outreach. When I saw the announcement around President Padilla coming to DFW as part of his national tour, I reached out to the individual that is the administrator for that page, mentioning that I was the most recent Valpo Club of DFW leader, and would be happy to help in any way possible. We've put on many successful events in the 10 years prior to COVID, including hosting President Heckler prior, as well as a Dallas Mavs game and meet-and-greet with Ryan Broekhoff (thanks Koala, if you still view this from time-to-time!). Due to COVID, the Club has been on hold for a few years, since many of our committee members were advanced in age and not really comfortable with larger gatherings, but I was hoping that some of the younger alumni in the area might be able to pickup where others have left off as committee members. I received a reply at the end of August to send an email so that we could discuss, and tried three times to reach them, but never heard back again. I was just hoping to help the undergraduate school that I hold a lot of pride, and this lack of response after an initial enthusiastic reply to connect, was a bit off-putting.
Attaching a pic from the Mavs game, as well as a picnic the prior year. Can anyone spot vu72 at the picnic?
Wow! That was a long time ago! I got back from my Nashville assignment about four years ago now and look forward to getting together when President Padilla is in town.
As someone who has been critical of Valpo's alumni relations, I would like to mention a recent small activity that is one of many things (combined) that can help alumni relations. Valpo sent an email out today seeking alumni to do mock interviews with current students (presumably students close to graduation, but it could also be for internships). This is a small thing, but it is a great example of building greater relationships with alumni and using that valuable resource.
Dear Valpo...do more things like this!
(also had to laugh a little at Rez's comment on "powerful and influential alumni". Perhaps there is some truth in that, but keep in mind that Valpo is not Stanford or Harvard. Still, Rez's sentiment here is good)
@vu84v2 Perhaps a simple "extensive" would suit this better. However there is a contingent of Alumni in high places. One example being Adam Amin, who seems to coin every deep shot in the United Center as "Coming all the way from Valparaiso". My point is, you have resources and people who would like to see this school thrive. Case in point a massive endowment compared to other schools in the same situation (I understand these funds are locked, but the fact that the endowment is so high proves that the support is there) Why are they not being utilized(I speak generally here. Not courting big names, but just reaching out to alumni contingents as an olive branch)?
