Several committees reported positive changes in the first half of the school year. Admissions indicators, fundraising numbers, and college investments are all on the rise so far this year, Detweiler said. Applications are up 17 percent from this time last year, and early decisions are up over 30 percent, according to Dean of Admissions Susan Dileno. Applications from students of African, Latin American, or Native American background are up 80 percent. Significant weight was given to new attrition figures.
Attrition refers to the number of students who transfer or withdraw in a given period.
While most of this year s numbers remained close to last year s, the attrition rate of the junior class jumped about 8 percent. Administrators and the board have pledged to continue examining the cause of these numbers. The Office of Institutional Advancement reported several increases in fundraising over the last quarter. Donations to the college s annual fund were up 45 percent and the number of planned giving members, people who put Hartwick in their will, doubled. College investments posted a 2.2 percent gain in 2000, a performance which led the board to change investment strategy at their fall meetings.