Bryan Wells
News Reporter

The Mesa State College Board of Trustees met on Nov. 3 and reviewed the college strategic plan of the college would be for the next 10 years. Although the plan was not adopted by the board yet, a number of goals and objectives were discussed.
“Mostly what the plan drives at is how we can increase the number of people who go to college and are successful and graduate,” said Mesa State President Tim Foster.
According to Foster, the proposed plan was put together by students, faculty, and community members over a span of six months. A new strategic plan is made every five years.
Dana Nunn, college spokeswoman, said the plan addresses a number of issues currently affecting the college. One of the big issues affecting colleges in general is money.
“The thing is that the state is cutting funding for higher education,” Nunn said.
Nunn went on to say that MSC is working to offset the lack of state funding in a number of ways. She credited recent enrollment growth with offering the most relief from budget cuts. In addition to that, Nunn said that the college has been working to increase operating efficiency and that tuition was also increased.
Ryan Hendershot, the Student Trustee of the Associated Student Government said that the college found out recently that its budget won’t be cut. But there also won’t be a budget increase for the school.
“Indirectly it’s still a cut,” Hendershot said, “The school is growing and prices go up. If the school’s budget doesn’t increase as well more has to be done with less money.”
Hendershot said that even though the college has to make up money on any lack of funding, he knows that an increase in tuition is usually kept as a last resort.
“The college has always worked to keep tuition down. Funding can be made up in different ways,” Hendershot said.
Among the options Hendershot mentioned, increasing Mesa State’s appeal to out of state students was discussed at the Board of Trustees meeting. Out of state tuition is more than double what in-state students pay.
Out-of-state tuition helps offset budget cuts. The proposed strategic plan recommends that MSC become better known outside of Colorado.
“We want Mesa to be the top choice in higher education across the board for students,” Nunn said. “We want students to choose Mesa for its academics as well as its accessibility.”
While making MSC more appealing to more students would increase enrollment and help with funding, the college isn’t only looking to get bigger.
“Growth is good but not just for growth’s sake,” Foster said. “We want to maintain the quality we offer now and any growth must be sustainable.”

bwells@mesastate.edu