With President Pat Long’s list of strategic goals for Baker University, the future looks bright.
The issue of enrollment has been hovering over administrators as they work toward a plan to bring the numbers on the upswing.
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The list of goals includes exceeding 1,000 students for full-time enrollment on the Baldwin City campus, exceeding 80 percent for first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students, and consistently exceeding 4,000 students in total enrollment.
Within these goals, there needs to be a focus on increasing diversity on campus, as well.
Diversity on a college campus is important to open the doors for students and it allows them to interact with those people with whom they may not have had the opportunity to interact before. These interactions increase students’ knowledge, promote creativity and allow students to view events from different perspectives. Diversity can also enhance social development and prepare students to enter the work force, both of which are critical factors in a college experience.
Certain events are already taking place on Baker’s campus to promote diversity and the awareness of the different types of diversity.
Empowerment Through Diversity Week is a week completely dedicated to educating students and encouraging participation in events that will allow them to view how diversity does and can affect different people.
In February, an agreement was made among Baker University and Possibilities Unlimited agency in Hong Kong to communicate with prospective Chinese students.
The potential to bring international students to campus will give both Baker students and international students the opportunity to experience diversity, an important and valuable aspect of college.
Although increasing enrollment is a number one priority at Baker, it is necessary to increase diversity on campus as well. With the diversity education and programs currently in place, the university is moving in the right direction.
