Nov. 8, 2017 | Midwestern State University | thewichitan.com | Your Campus. Your News. | Vol. 82 No. 11
FILE PHOTOS BY LAUREN ROBERTS AND RACHEL JOHNSON | THE WICHITAN
Keith Lamb, vice president of student affairs and enrollment management, during the Board of Regents meeting on Feb. 13, 2014.
Stranger Things
The Board of Regents meeting held in the Board Room in the Hardin Building, where they discussed a lot of issues, but at this point was focused on the location of the new soccer field on Nov. 12, 2015.
pg. 4
The Netflix original series has overtaken many peoples lives. The series has two seasons and is preparing for a third.
Moffett Library
pg. 6
Renovations are beginning in the library in May 2018. This is the first time the library has been renovated since 1986.
Soccer Regionals
pg. 8
The men’s soccer team advances after their win against St. Edward’s. They play Sunday, Nov. 12.
Board to vote on search for new VP KARA MCINTYRE EDITOR
S
uzanne Shipley, university president, will ask the Board of Regents members for permission to launch a search for a new vice president of enrollment management at the meeting on Nov. 9. Keith Lamb, vice president of student affairs and enrollment management, would no longer be part of enrollment management and instead would focus on student affairs. The new vice president would focus solely on enrollment issues, including recruitment and retention of students. Enrollment decreased by 18 students in spring
2017 and increased by 16 students this fall. Those numbers create a two-student deficit just from one year alone — and while that may not seem like much, Shipley said this adds up over time. “Since I arrived here two years ago, we’ve been trying to grow our enrollment and it’s been made clear that most Texas universities are growing and we are not,” Shipley said. “We need to show our vitality or else we become at a disadvantage for funding.” With our $641,000 budget shortfall and unanticipated budget cut of $1.75 million, enrollment growth is more important
than ever, according to Shipley and Lamb. “All of the universities are competing with each other to get the best students and to increase our individual enrollment,” Shipley said. “Everyone wants to grow. We can’t have faculty and staff raises, operational support, funding increases, etc. without more funding and we can increase funding in one of two ways: increasing tuition or increasing the number of students. I’d rather do the latter because I want MSU to be an affordable, yet quality education.” Lamb, who has taken on the enrollment management position since
2011, said he is on board with this decision. “I’m supportive of this if the Board approves it. It’s a good direction for this university,” Lamb said. “Enrollment management is a complex job with lots of moving parts. It’d be well-served to have someone dedicated to just that.” Lamb’s background and history for the last 22 years has been in student affairs. He said if the Board approves this search, he would be excited to focus mostly on student affairs again. “I’ve had a very big workload the last few years, and my workload would still be heavy, but
it’d be student affairs centered instead of enrollment management centered,” Lamb said. “Student affairs is where my heart is and I’m looking forward to potentially going back full-time. It’s my home.” At the Board meeting, which will also include items such as downsizing of the health sciences and human services building renovation plans, Shipley will explain why hiring another vice president is essential for maintaining MSU’s identity. There are four independent universities in Texas, meaning they are
see ENROLMENT pg. 3