New Coe College President Wants to Boost Enrollment, Visibility

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Increasing Coe College's visibility and growing the enrollment go hand in hand, new President David McInally said, and those two goals are among his top priorities for the school.

McInally said he had the fortune of coming to Coe at a time when a lot of significant challenges have already been addressed, including the growth of the campus footprint and the college endowment, so he takes the helm when Coe has "a lot of positive momentum."

"The challenge for us is to be clear about our mission, know exactly who we are, who we serve and communicate that effectively," he said.

McInally, 53, started as Coe's 15th president on July 1, succeeding James Phifer, who recently retired after 18 years leading the college. McInally came from Allegheny College in Meadville, Penn., where he served in many administrative roles, most recently as executive vice president and treasurer.

In his first month getting to know people on campus and in the Cedar Rapids area, McInally said he found strong affection for Coe. He hopes to translate that into more visibility, including among potential students in the state and outside of Iowa.

McInally wants to build Coe's enrollment from the current 1,300 range to 1,500 in the next three to five years and possibly even more after that, in the long term.

Developing a long-range plan that maps growth in coordination with housing, dining, classroom and campus recreation needs will be a priority in his first year, McInally said. Multi-year staffing and budget plans also will be needed to support growth, he said.

"The type of education that happens here, the quality of interaction between faculty and students and that genuine dedication to teaching, in the classroom and outside the classroom -- we don't want to compromise that for any reason," he said. "The growth has to be deliberate to hold onto that culture."

The future of traditional liberal arts education has been the subject of discussion and hang-wringing in higher education circles. McInally said he's a strong believer that residential liberal arts education will survive and thrive because it continues to be the best fit for many students, with a lot of personal attention and low student-to-faculty ratios.

"I think there is a place for colleges like Coe," he said.

Maintaining affordability is key to that, McInally said, aided by continued fundraising and finding outside sources to help boost financial aid to students, so their actual costs remain well below the sticker price, he said.

"Affordability for students is essential to our mission, to serve the region, to serve the nation by providing this kind of top-quality education that is expensive to deliver," he said.

Source: http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/New-Coe-College-President-Wants-to-Boost-Enrollment-Visibility--217846791.html

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