MLC starts year with high enrollment

By GUY PRIEL

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Summer draws to an end on Monday, as students return to the campus of Martin Luther College for another year, marked by changes and record enrollment.

"We are not sure yet where we'll end up as far as enrollment figures go," MLC President Theodore Olsen said. "We are expecting well over 1,000. When we started as Martin Luther College in 1995, we had 750 students. We have experienced good growth during that period."

There were 910 students enrolled during the 1999-2000 academic year, so this is a tremendous increase for one year, he said.

"That number just reflects traditional full-time students," he said. "There are also some students who are enrolled on a part-time basis. This is really good for the economy of New Ulm."

There will be sufficient classroom space to accommodate the growth, but there will approximately 150 students housed off-campus, Olsen said.

"Where we will be hurting the most is in athletic space and chapel space," he said. "Our auditorium only seats 900. We'll be pressed to find enough space for 1,000 students."

School officials will be working on additional dormitory space, athletic space, a field house, and a new chapel, he said.

"One thing that is different this year is we have added air conditioning to the music hall, which will help provide better air flow in the practice facility and classrooms," Olsen said. "We have also added air conditioning to the dining room area of the cafeteria. It will be a big help, especially at the beginning of the year, when the temperatures tend to go up."

Opening chapel will be held 7:30 p.m. Sunday, with classes beginning at 7:55 a.m. Monday.

"We have eight new professors this year, as well as two new individual instructors and a new campus pastor," Olsen said. "We still have two vacancies that we are working on filling. All courses are covered, just not in the traditional way."

They will be hiring adjunct professors to teach Latin and English and psychology and American history.

"We also have a new administrative structure that was put in place July 1," Olsen said. "It will take awhile to get used to it, but it should work out well. There are four vice presidents working with the two deans."

Under the newly-formed administrative structure, there is a vice president for academics, student life, enrollment management, and administration, which is known as the administrative council.

"We got off to a good start," Olsen said. "The new structure will free up the president for other duties, such as serving as faculty pastor and working on promoting the school. It is a more efficient way to operate. It is an exciting time for us."

The staff is working on a curriculum revision, which should be completed by Dec. 1. The next step will be to begin a facility study to determine the needs and the funding, he said.

"We have also retrofitted the print shop this year," he said. "With the new shop, we have increased our technology levels and our capability. We have installed a new four-color printing press."

They have also added space in the basement of Centennial Hall to provide an additional 36 dormitory beds for students.

"My goal when I started here in 1995 was to have 1,000 students by 2003," Olsen said. "We have exceeded that already. A lot of that can be attributed to having increased our recruiting staff to four."

The needs of the church body dictates enrollment, and the increase reflects the fact that there is a shortage of pastors and elementary principals within the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, he said.

Another new feature of the campus is the installation of a granite seal of the college that as placed in the sidewalk between the academic building and the library.

Standing 8 feet across, it represents the seal of Martin Luther. In three colors, it honors the two schools that were merged in 1995 to form MLC. The words "He Lives," and the quote "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life," are engraved in stone within the seal.

"It is a student dream come true," Olsen said. "A senior thought we should have a seal on the campus and challenged us to come up with the money. He raised half and the college matched that with half."

He will encourage students and staff not to walk on the seal once it is completely installed.

Work on the chapel is being planned this year, but nothing is final until actual dollar amounts have been determined, Olsen said.