Chancellor outlines progress of past decade

“Taking a bit of artistic license and quoting Charles Dickens, I would like to begin by saying, ‘It is the best of times. It is the worst of times,’” Carpenter said.

Carpenter on Thursday outlined the past decade’s progress at Chadron State, Peru State and Wayne State colleges, contrary, he said, to the many challenges facing the nation.

 “One thing we definitely know, some of the changes during the past 10 years were the result of challenges we faced head-on, with a system-wide approach,” Carpenter said. “Other changes came about due to the leadership found at each of the colleges.”

Among the positives, he said, is the system’s growth of enrollment, noting that the headcount has increased about nine percent during the last 10 years. He noted that preliminary numbers indicate Chadron State’s enrollment has increased for the fifth consecutive fall semester and that the system’s retention rates for the first to second year are higher than the national average.

“Increasing enrollments during a time when the number of high school graduates is decreasing is remarkable,” he said.

Carpenter said Chadron State and the other state colleges have been recognized as a “best buy” in higher education, and gave CSC’s online master of business administration program special mention. He listed seven other Nebraska colleges and universities that have an estimated annual cost of attendance from $2,300 to $18,800 more than the system’s three colleges.

“It is evident that the state colleges have been and will continue to be best buys for a quality education, and I wish to stress quality education,” he said.

As an example of how the three colleges succeed when working together, Carpenter cited the recent implementation of systems for student information and financial data. He gave recognition to about 50 Chadron State employees who have been most heavily involved with the projects, which were collaborative efforts with the other two NSCS institutions and the University of Nebraska system.

“No one college could have taken on this massive enterprise on its own,” he said.

While the speech was primarily about the positives, Carpenter addressed numerous challenges.

“With the rising costs associated with doing business, sacrifices have been made. Look around the room, there are fewer people sitting here that can help us achieve our educational mission,” he said to the CSC employees. “Across the system we have lost nearly 10 percent of our state supported positions.”

He also said college employees will need to change their ways of doing business to meet the trials of evolving expectations, student mindsets and fiscal climate.

“As we are being called upon to educate more students, to higher levels of learning outcomes, with less money, we can’t keep doing what we have always done and expect different outcomes,” he said.

Carpenter’s address coincided with the Board of Trustees meetings in Chadron on Thursday and Friday.