The Montana Board of Regents held their annual meeting last week on the University of Montana campus in Missoula.

Spokesperson for the President's Office, Paula Short, said one discussion revolved around the ratio between faculty and staff and current enrollment.

"The discussion was about the number of staff, faculty and employees at the University of Montana related to the number of students that are here," Short said. "It was a discussion of what is the appropriate staffing level and there was talk about the faculty to student ratio at our university compared to the rest of the state, as well as what was the national average of faculty to student ratio. That might lend itself to the fact that we might be a little bit heavy on the staffing side, and we might need to make some adjustments there. I think any adjustments we make moving forward will come as attrition. So, when positions become vacant, taking a real discerning look at filling that position."

Short said the new Vice President For Enrollment, Dr. Thomas Crady is cautiously optimistic about his staff's efforts to boost flagging enrollment at UM.

"I think is is very optimistic, yet certainly pragmatic about the situation we find ourselves in," she said. "Reversing the trend will take some time, meaning first to stop the downward trend, and hopefully have an increase of up to three percent in incoming freshmen would be a goal. He's had some great response from some of his initiatives. I think the 'Raise Me' program has had about 6,000 students sign up expressing some interest in the University of Montana. He's got direct mailing applications to students inviting them to attend the University of Montana. Certainly, we are making sure that as many students as possible will benefit for a University of Montana education."

Short said the regents, as well as UM officials, believe the school is headed 'in the right direction' to increase enrollment at the Missoula school.

 

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