CCU’s new president will need to recruit more students as Coastal’s enrollment decreases
Coastal Carolina University has made budgetary cuts due to decreased enrollment.
The cuts do not affect students and do not include layoffs. By and large, the university froze unfilled positions until more revenue comes in, according to Chief Finance Officer David Frost.
Universities across the country are seeing decreased enrollment and budgets. At CCU, fewer students enrolled for the fall 2020 semester than expected creating a $6.4 million budget shortfall.
Chief Finance Officer David Frost said the university reviewed expenses, cut $5.5 million and are on the way toward a balanced budget. The cuts were across departments and university functions.
“We didn’t affect the student experience at all,” Frost said. “But like any business cycle, we’re tightening up when times are tough.”
CCU is looking to address these challenges while also searching for a new president.
“First off, it’s going to be a competition for students — there is going to be a huge demand on the president, the board and faculty to recruit students,” Board of Trustee Member Delan Stevens said.
President David DeCenzo is expected to retire at the end of his term in June 2021.
DeCenzo began his tenure in 2007, and CCU has seen significant growth in terms of enrollment, athletic prominence and number of majors available — most of which was accomplished through partnerships with local businesses, governments and schools. It also saw continuous student enrollment growth.
A special committee was formed this year to begin the search for the new president with hopes to have a finalist by this coming spring. The president is the top employee of the university and leads the overall vision of the school across departments. In addition, the position acts as an emissary of the university to the local community and state.
DeCenzo and staff recently secured a deal with the South Carolina technical colleges to streamline student transfers who graduate with an associate degree. The hope is to make achieving a bachelor’s degree more affordable.
Provost Daniel Ennis briefed the board of trustees on the national decline in enrollment and how CCU is preparing for it. Students are less willing to accept debt that is typically required with attending a four-year university, he said.
“Coastal always grows. That’s our motto since 1954. So what happens when that is no longer happening?” Ennis asked.
He wants to prioritize reaching out to more minority groups, transfer students and populations from which CCU hasn’t typically recruited. In addition, he will need to get more donations and state support toward scholarships and aid.
The goal for next year is for CCU to maintain its student population, which would mean adding 2,300 students, Ennis said.
Finding a new president candidate who is suited to navigate this change in academia is imperative, Stevens said.
“I think how he does in terms of PR, how we promote our school and ourselves will be a big factor. And his demeanor and how he presents himself will be a big factor,” Stevens said.
Buffin/Baker, a Nashville-based leadership recruitment company, has been chartered to conduct the search for a new president, vet candidates and to present the board with a group of finalists. The board will have the final say on the new candidate.
The agency has worked with other higher education institutions including Wake Forest University, UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC-Charlotte, as well as private companies like Spotify and Bacardi.
A candidate needs to have an entrepreneurial mindset to running a university, the ability to fundraise and work with local organizations and a deep understanding of how a public liberal arts university is run, according to a Buffin/Baker job listing.
CCU officials hope to have a candidate selected from a group of finalist by the late spring so they will have a year to learn the ropes before taking over in 2021.
This story was originally published December 17, 2019 at 2:15 PM.
