Brother Ron presented his annual state of the college report today and for the first time it was streamed via Webcast. I tuned in primarily to see if there was any news concerning basketball facilities, and, unfortunately, there was not. The college's biggest capital project is the "learning commons," eduspeak for renovation of the library. Work on the student recreation center is at the permitting stage and should be under way ASAP. Brother Ron loves athletics and gave them plenty of notice in his presentation, saying at one point at SMC is "a tiny D-I institution playing gigantic D-I institutions and often beating them." Almost apologizing, he confessed that he loves it when that happens. He also boasted that SMC may win four or five WCC championships before the year is out, apparently figuring the women's tennis team will follow men's basketball, soccer and golf. Don't know what the fifth title could be.
Interesting facts and figures: undergraduate enrollment at 2,800 is largest in the school's history, and graduate programs add another 1,200 students. So, we are a 4,000-student institution, which still comes as a shock to those of us who date to a time of 950 men. Brother Ron said that undergraduate level was just about as high as the college envisions, with maybe room for 200 more undergrads to bring that level to 3,000. Something like 1,600 live on campus, including all freshman -- a requirement this year to help with student retention. More dorms are going to be needed to maintain the heavily residential nature of the campus. Future growth will come in graduate and adult programs, with the possibility of online classes being added down the road.
The whole thing was pretty low-key considering the largely positive story around SMC these days. Revisions are coming in the core curriculum and in faculty and staff salaries, which I don't think will be going down. Rising enrollment, athletic success, new facilities, curriculum changes and salary increases -- not too shabby. I think Bro. Ron espouses the "under-promise and over-deliver" philosophy that I find attractive but is largely missing in today's blowhard society. Guess basketball is on its own, though, at least as far as a campus priority.
Interesting facts and figures: undergraduate enrollment at 2,800 is largest in the school's history, and graduate programs add another 1,200 students. So, we are a 4,000-student institution, which still comes as a shock to those of us who date to a time of 950 men. Brother Ron said that undergraduate level was just about as high as the college envisions, with maybe room for 200 more undergrads to bring that level to 3,000. Something like 1,600 live on campus, including all freshman -- a requirement this year to help with student retention. More dorms are going to be needed to maintain the heavily residential nature of the campus. Future growth will come in graduate and adult programs, with the possibility of online classes being added down the road.
The whole thing was pretty low-key considering the largely positive story around SMC these days. Revisions are coming in the core curriculum and in faculty and staff salaries, which I don't think will be going down. Rising enrollment, athletic success, new facilities, curriculum changes and salary increases -- not too shabby. I think Bro. Ron espouses the "under-promise and over-deliver" philosophy that I find attractive but is largely missing in today's blowhard society. Guess basketball is on its own, though, at least as far as a campus priority.
