LHU Announces Initiatives Geared toward Stabilizing Enrollment
LOCK HAVEN — Over the last several months, Lock Haven University has been analyzing enrollment projections in an effort to stabilize enrollment outcomes and make a college degree more accessible and affordable for all students.
LHU announced Thursday plans to roll out a number of initiatives including: increasing the number of applicants by expanding marketing activities, working more closely with the local school district, converting a higher percentage of accepted students to enrolled students, offering more need-based institutional aid to families with lower household income levels, providing more financial help to students who struggle to return their sophomore year and reaching out to students who have dropped out over the past few years for financial reasons.
The 2018-19 school year began with a 10.3 percent decline in enrollment and another 4 percent drop was forecasted for next fall. The goal of the university is to stabilize enrollment and to “stop the drop.”
“We are taking new actions to stabilize enrollment and begin building a more robust and effective enrollment strategy for our future,” said LHU President, Robert Pignatello.
The LHU Council of Trustees recently approved new need-based scholarship aid to help students in lower income brackets. “Our high need students, with all grants and standard student loans applied, still have a gap of $1,071 to $4,160 per semester,” Pignatello said. “This new need-based grant support will help address the gap and make us more competitive to attract more students.”
Awards will be need-based by family income bracket, with specific awards based on Expected Family Contribution (EFC):
· $0 to $30,000 – average of $700 per year
· $30,001 to $48,000 – average of $500 per year
· $48,001 to $75,000 – average of $300 per year
LHU also plans to become more competitive in the marketplace through a new marketing and advertising campaign starting with bus ads, which will be visible by the end of the month. Its new tag line is “Soar Higher at The Haven,” and the university homepage also has been updated.
New messaging has been developed to showcase the distinctive experience students receive at The Haven, which offers a wide variety of high quality academic programs; small class sizes, personal attention from outstanding faculty; in a close knit, supportive and inclusive community environment that provides affordable access to a college degree and a lifetime of success. The Haven’s focus on experiential learning and public service gives students a chance to get involved in causes they care about and make a real impact on the world while earning their degree.
The university also is announcing a relaunch of its associate degree programs to provide affordable two-year pathways to a degree in job-ready areas or to get started on a bachelor’s degree. They are looking to create more stackable credentials beginning with credit-bearing certificates to start students on a path toward a degree and give them the skills employers are looking for.
In the spring, LHU will launch a pet-friendly residence hall. The move will allow students to feel more at home by bringing their beloved companions to college. Pets included in the policy are dogs under 40 pounds with breed restrictions, cats and small caged animals. The opt-in pilot program will encompass LHU’s North Hall beginning in January, 2019. LHU will be first in the Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) to adopt such a policy.
The university offers 49 undergraduate majors and certifications with 47 minors and five graduate programs.
