Current state and future of Columbia College "very bright" according to president
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| President Gerald Brouder delivers his State of the College address Sept. 15 on the Columbia College campus. The college's new logo is featured behind him. |
The state of Columbia College is strong, and the future is bright, according to President Gerald Brouder at his State of the College address given Sept. 15 in Launer Auditorium on the main Columbia College campus in Columbia, Mo.
“With flexibility, innovation and a great bottom line, Columbia College is thriving,” said Brouder.
Since the last address in 2009, the college has transformed itself both physically and academically. Accomplishments include a healthy operating budget of $90 million with $173 million in assets under management and an endowment nearly double what it was two years ago — the college is without debt. This has been a record year for enrollments due largely to the college’s Nationwide Campuses and explosive growth in the Online Campus. Other milestones include new undergraduate and graduate degree programs; upgraded technology; the introduction of a Division of Graduate Studies; favorable rankings by U.S. News & World Report and Geteducated.com, among others; the acquisition of Federal Hall in downtown Columbia; the announcement of five additional sports; and an extensive resume of community service.
However, Columbia College is not without challenges. The college has seen a downward trend in traditional age students but plans to reposition itself and revamp retention and marketing efforts. With 18 of its Nationwide Campuses located on military bases, the college has a close relationship with the military and will likely be affected by cuts to military tuition assistance. Increased competition in adult education offerings especially in the online sector is somewhat concerning. The college must stay on the forefront of technology to stay competitive. “Keeping up is arduous and expensive,” said Brouder. “Not keeping up is foolhardy.”
As for the future, Columbia College is set to undergo a reaccreditation review by the Higher Learning Commission in 2012, undertaken once every 10 years. The college expects a favorable report. By the next state of the college address in 2013, Brouder predicts that the college will have launched more new degrees; prepared for the occupancy of the new science building; acquired additional property; experienced a resurgence in the day program; continued to upgrade technology; and embraced a new brand.
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| The new Columbia College flag after the flag raising ceremony on Bass Commons on Sept. 15. |
“We are bound only by our imagination and the prudence of our judgments,” said Brouder.
After the address, the president revealed the new brand and showcased a new college logo with a flag raising ceremony on Bass Commons. The new brand highlights the college’s best attributes — real and serious about education.
The city of Columbia, as proclaimed by Mayor Bob McDavid, also recognized the day, proclaiming Sept. 15, 2011, as “Columbia College Day.”
2 comments:
I love this school! It has been a dream come true to go to this institution. I feel the new "CC" logo does not do the school just, however. I feel the new logo is weak. If you turn the second C around, it is the MasterCard logo. It makes one feel like they are stopping in at a drug store and not the long standing, upright school that it is.
The new logo is atrocious! It speaks to the corporate modus operandi of Columbia College, and not at all to the historical aesthetic of the establishment. The former logo was excellent (pyramid effect and superior design) and it is a disgrace to our institution, to replace it with such simplistic cheapness. Granted, I heard it cost a lot of money, so CC got just what it deserved.
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