EDUCATION
Private colleges expand programs to lure students
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Private colleges and universities in Western New York have responded to the nation's recession by increasing financial aid, expanding course offerings, making plant improvements and trying to become more attuned to student's needs.
In doing so, the private schools are seeking to stem a decline in undergraduate admissions brought on by the economy and a shrinking population.
While still early in the application process, most of the schools report encouraging signs for fall applications.
"I think, in general, we feel very hopeful," said Emily Sinsabaugh, St. Bonaventure University's vice president for university relations. "We are certainly like everyone else who has experienced challenges during the past year.
"But we are also taking steps to ensure that when the economy recovers, we are in a position to take important steps forward to help our students and their families, and to continue the vitality of the campus."
Part of St. Bonaventure's plans call for enhancing the Allegany River trail that runs through campus, and developing property across Route 417 into a student entertainment center. Bonaventure Square, which is expected to break ground in June, will offer a bowling alley, sports lounge, arcade and game room, as well as provide student housing and a hotel.
D'Youville College is moving forward with the opening of a professional-level School of Pharmacy in the fall, with a pre-pharmacy program to follow. It would be just the second college in Western New York, along with the University at Buffalo, to offer a doctoral degree in pharmacy. St. John Fisher College in Rochester also has a pharmacy school.
"We're seeing a lot of interest in that program," said Robert Murphy, D'Youville's vice president for student affairs and enrollment management.
D'Youville also is getting more technologically creative to better connect with students, including the use of social Web sites, Murphy said.
Daemen College opened its "green," state-of-the-art Research and Information Commons in 2009. This year, the Snyder campus has expanded degree programs, which include a new bachelor's and graduate-level arts administration degree; an entry-level, five-year program leading to a master's degree in athletic training; a bachelor's degree in health care studies; the first advanced practice clinical doctorate for nursing professions in Western New York; and a five-year accounting program.
"Students select a college because it has the major they are looking for, and we have a lot of majors that lead to a real successful career for students," said Pat Brown, Daemen's vice president of enrollment management.
Medaille College, which admits 400 freshmen each fall, has closed its enrollment the past three years, and expects to do the same in 2010.
"This year, especially in this region, was pretty unique," said Gregory Florczak, vice president for enrollment management and undergraduate admissions. "We were one of the few privates that not only met their freshmen goal, but exceeded it."
Florczak attributes that success to working with students and their families to develop suitable financial aid packages — something other Western New York schools say they also focus considerable attention on.
Medaille also plans to expand its student center and consolidate academic advisement, career planning, disability services and a counseling center under one roof.
A primary focus of Niagara University administrators has been tending to students' economic needs, including increasing merit aid financial aid packages an average of 20 percent to 30 percent.
Niagara has introduced a new MBA health administration concentration and expanded its nursing degree completion program in partnership with the Catholic health system. It also is partnering with a university in Germany to offer a degree for students who want to get into the hospitality industry, with students completing part of their studies at both schools.
Niagara has made it possible for students in the MBA program and in continuing education to receive certified financial planning status, expanded its program of providing NU courses in local high schools that allow students to enter there or at other schools with advanced credit, and will launch its first online graduate program in the fall.
At Canisius College, meeting the financial needs of students also has been a top priority, said Jill Conlon, associate vice president for enrollment.
The school has partnered with the University at Buffalo on a five-year, dual degree program, with students receiving a physics degree from Canisius and an engineering degree from UB.
Canisius' new offerings include an animal behavior major and five-year accounting degree. The college has purchased the former BlueCross BlueShield Building on Main Street for use as a science building. Curriculum will be geared toward responding to the needs of industry, Conlon said, and there will be partnerships with the education department to help produce more teachers in science and math.
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