At the Student Government Association Senate Meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 15, Cissy Petty, vice president of student affairs, Mark Manganaro, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, and Roberta Kaskel, vice president of enrollment, had a forum with students to address the state of the university. 

Manganaro said that the $7.5 million budget deficit resulting from an enrollment drop has been reduced to about over $5 million due to the severance program. The program saved the university $2.3 million,  Manganaro said. 

He said that some extraordinary faculty members will not come back next semester while other faculty members will be asked to leave starting February. 

He also announced that the freshmen/sophomore retention rate was 74-80 percent for the 2012-2013 academic year. 

A new strategic plan is currently being worked on and a draft is expected to be finished by March for presentation at the Board of Trustees meeting in May. 

Kaskel announced that the university will host six Magis Mondays in the spring in effort to attract prospective students. These Mondays will allow for students to attend classes, eat lunch in the Orleans Room, and meet with faculty and staff in their majors of interest. 

Kaskel also announced that the Lawlor Group, an enrollment management consulting firm, has been conducting a brand and identity study and encouraged students to take a survey sent by the firm to students’ emails.

 Manganaro announced that the Monroe Hall renovations have been a “long-haul,” but are on time. Currently three departments are reoccupied in the building, Manganaro said. Petty also announced that the university is planning to add four new sports in the future, including men’s and women’s soccer.