At the same time, our graduate enrollment continues to decline and this year the decline was both on campus and at extended campuses. This mirrors the University trend and the national trend. President Steger has expressed concern that our research status will be difficult to sustain with a declining graduate enrollment. This is a concern if we are to be a top 30 university. In numbers, the loss is not large for CHRE, but it is the trend that is somewhat of a worry.
Numbers are only part of the story.
We must also be competitive to attract the top scholars to enroll as our graduate students. We have a presence across the state in graduate education - especially our Centers in Northern Virginia, Tidewater, Roanoke and Abingdon and our presence in Richmond and a number of school districts. We are on the right track - but we need to pay particular attention to graduate education. In the annual review of the College, Provost Meszaros specifically commented on our attention to advising. That extends to both graduate and undergraduate education.