BLUEFIELD — Members of the Bluefield College board of trustees gathered on campus, Oct. 19-20, for their annual fall meeting, and during the two-day session the board approved a feasibility study for a new residence hall on campus, heard reports on a record fundraising year for the school, and discussed continued improvement in BC financials.
In the wake of a decision just months ago to study the viability of building a new student center on campus, the board unanimously approved a motion to explore the feasibility of a constructing a new residence hall.
Current residence hall occupancy in three BC housing facilities on campus is nearing capacity, according to administrators, and the last time BC built a new residence hall was more than 25 years ago.
Trustee Chairman Dan Grabeel
“Our planned enrollment growth will likely consume all existing spaces,” said Dan Grabeel, chairman of the BC Board of Trustees, “and the style and quality of on-campus living arrangements are critical elements in the recruitment and retention of students.”
The study approved by the Board, which will address configuration, construction, financing, operating expenses and residency level, is the second such study granted by trustees in the past six months. During its spring meetings, the Board gave the administration the go-ahead to explore the possibility of partnering with the town of Bluefield to construct a student and community center on campus.
In addition to the residence hall discussion, the board heard reports from development administrators about the success of BC's fundraising in 2006-2007. Thanks to gifts to the BC Fund that exceeded projections, foundation and employee giving that reached an all-time high and the establishment of endowed scholarships near record levels, BC enjoyed its second best fundraising year in history.
The college's fundraising success in 2006-2007, officials said, can also be attributed to the start of the “quiet phase” of the school's latest capital campaign, “Vision 2012: Promises Kept, Dreams Alive.” While not yet public in terms of awareness and participation, the campaign generated $1.7 million toward improvements on campus last year — 10 percent of the overall $17 million goal.
The trustees also received good news of BC's financial standing, which by almost every financial measure has shown “marked improvement over the last three years,” according to BC's Jerold Meadows, vice president for administration and finance. And based on a recent auditor's report shared with the board, the college's composite financial index was up more than 50 percent. In fact the financial index number for BC has more than doubled over the past two years, “a direct sign,” according to trustee Charles Paschall, the college is “becoming a much stronger institution and moving to the next level.”
“It was an excellent year,” Paschall said. “We are healthy financially.”
In other fall business, the board approved tuition and grant rate increases for students for the 2008-2009 academic year and recognized the service of outgoing trustees.
Tuition for traditional students at BC will go up 19.5 percent next fall; however, the board approved an increase in the grant rate for students, which will be the equivalent of about 12 percent of that 19.5 percent tuition hike, resulting in a net increase of only 7.5 percent in real out-of-pocket tuition expenses for students. The board also approved a 4.2 percent increase in tuition for students in the adult degree-completion program.
Board officers — Chairman Grabeel, Vice Chairman Jack S. “Chip” Hurley Jr. and Treasurer Julie Johnson — were re-elected to the same positions of service for another one-year term.
Board member Steve Layfield was re-appointed to a new four-year term on the board.