New financial aid center at SVSU offers students improved services. (Valley Vanguard photo) Saginaw Valley Starts Year 49 as 10th Largest State"U" Near 11,000 Students
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Despite new federal requirements that students maintain a 2.0 grade point average to continue receiving financial aid, Saginaw Valley State University is expected to have stable enrollment or perhaps grow slightly this year.
In a welcome to students, SVSU President Dr. Eric Gilbertson, says the school will have about 2,000 students and 40-50 new faculty new to the campus this year. The chatty "call me Gilby" video welcome is posted on the SVSU website.
"There will likely be slightly fewer new freshpersons and some continuing decline in the number of College of Education graduate students," said Gilbertson. "On the other hand, we expect some growth in the numbers of returning undergraduate students and some growth in the numbers of international students.
"I would note too that a number of students who might otherwise have returned this year were affected -- as we predicted -- by changed federal policies denying continuing financial aid to those who failed to meet "Satisfactory Academic Progress" -- or, or more specifically in our case, a 2.0 GPA. We should warn freshmen again that neglecting to take academic responsibilities seriously can have devastating financial consequences for them and their families."
With an estimated 10,800 students last year, plus any increase recorded this year, SVSU will likely remain the tenth largest state university and is closing in on the ninth ranked school in enrollment, Ferris State University. FSU had 14,560 students last year and has not yet reported enrollment totals this year.
Enrollment is expected to be stable at SVSU, the president stated. Last year the university grew by 134 students, or 1.26 percent.
According to J.J. Boehm, SVSU director of media relations, the top five counties for residential students at SVSU (based on 2011 data):
1. Wayne
2. Oakland
3. Genesee
4. Macomb
5. Saginaw
Total enrollment at SVSU hit an all-time high last year with 10,790 students; SVSU expects to be close to that number again this year.
Any enrollment hike larger than normal will no doubt strain both living accommodations and classroom space, according to observers.
"It's difficult to predict the precise number who will survive final registration dates, but we expect about the same total -- give or take a few -- as last fall," said Dr. Gilbertson. "As we've reported before, it is our goal to flatten overall enrollments at about this 10,500-11,000 student level for the next several years. Given the declining numbers of high school graduates in Michigan this is not the time to push for additional growth."
Gilbertson noted in his welcoming address, "there are fewer physical changes on the campus than in most previous years. The first floor Wickes Hall has been remodeled to create the new "Financial Services Center."
He added: "We've re-paved some campus roads -- long overdue repairs -- and the Pierce Road project has now been largely finished -- just in time before classes begin next week.
"There are now a few additional classrooms in the first floor of the Regional Education Center and the second floor of the Library has been remodeled to create the new 'Academic Achievement Center,' bringing together the Math/Physics Center and the Writing Center with other tutoring and support services for students."
A self-study for the upcoming institution-wide accreditation review by the Higher Learning Commission is underway, the president said.
The school will begin public fundraising in January for a silver anniversary celebration in the 2013 school year. SVSU was founded in 1963.
SVSU was chartered as a private college in 1963, but its roots go back to the early 1950s when Saginaw, Bay and Midland county leaders began asking the Michigan legislature for a four-year college. The legislature told the citizens to first establish a two-year community college.
The citizens formed a 300-member committee to study the proposal for a two-year community college, and the results of the committee's efforts was the establishment of neighboring Delta College in 1957.
Delta College's Board of Trustees continued to lobby for a four-year institution, but the Michigan legislature took the position that community colleges should remain separate from baccalaureate institutions. Another citizen committee, including many members from the original group, was formed to work on getting a charter for a new four-year institution.
On November 13, 1963, the legislature granted a charter to establish a private, four-year liberal arts institution, known as Saginaw Valley College (SVC). Its first class of 119 met in the basement of Delta College.
SVC became part of Michigan's system of state-supported colleges in 1965. It was renamed Saginaw Valley State College in 1975 and Saginaw Valley State University in 1987. ###
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