“Our total student enrollment at CBC dropped to 123 students this past year, which created a serious financial shortfall, but we rode it out in hopes that 2006-2007 would see a quick turnaround,” CBC President Neil Josephson said in a press release. “When it seemed pretty clear that our 2006-2007 enrollment will be similar to this past year, we made the decision to operate only the Canadian and Ecuadorian campuses until our student numbers can support all three campuses again.”
The campuses operate under a unified budget. According to Josephson, there are three key reasons why the Windsor campus, which opened in 1998, was chosen for suspension:
- Windsor has the highest operating costs
- Due to government regulations, CBC-Colorado is unable to accept non-American students, nor can students obtain Stafford (student) loans
- The Windsor campus has consistently drawn fewer students than Canada
“This has been a very difficult decision in terms of the people and the emotions as it means that great people who have been with CBC will be moving on,” Josephson said.
No date has been given for a possible re-opening of the campus, but Josephson said the overall CBC student population must surpass 145 before that would feasible.
The school has notified students who were considering attending the Windsor campus and is assisting them in shifting their enrollment to one of the other two campuses. “Most of the students I am speaking with, though initially surprised, are redirecting their plans to another CBC campus,” reports Robin Impey, CBC admissions team leader. “Their primary motive was to be discipled for those eight months and that is still their heart’s desire.” Impey added that applications still are being received for both of the operating campuses.
The board will continue to oversee the Windsor campus. “With this decision made, other short-term ministry uses and leases will be considered,” Josephson said.
School officials announced in March that they had made cuts to close the budget gaps, including severing the Windsor campus’s relationship with the Worship Center, trimming staff, and keeping next year’s budgeted spending at current levels.
Declining enrollment has been due to a number of factors, according to Paul Lessard, the school’s vice president, especially the increasing cost to attend a four-year college. As that cost has risen, families have been more reluctant to pay for a year of discipleship training, Lessard notes. “Students are increasingly focused on degrees that will lead to employment,” he says. “That’s a very demonstrable trend across the country.”
With the redirection of CBC, Josephson observes, “Our hopes, prayers and efforts will be focused on growing the numbers of women and men who choose CBC for a year of discipleship, so we can make an even greater contribution to the Kingdom and to the Covenant and re-open this great facility.”
To read an earlier story relating to the budget challenge, please see CBC Moves to Close $300,000 Budget Gap.
