CWU Must Juggle Budget To Plan For Homesick Students

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Story Published: Sep 18, 2009 at 6:33 PM PDT

By Peter Bukowski

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ELLENSBURG -- Most colleges and universities must adjust their budgets for homesick students.

First year Central Washington student, and Yakima native, Samantha Gaudette is no stranger to freshman move in day. She did it just two weeks before at Washington State, before she decided this was a bit too far from home.

"I decided that it wasn't for me. The campus is gorgeous, the classes were nice. I met my roommate, the people were nice, I loved my RA, I still wasn't comfortable," she tells Action News.

For every student like Samantha who happily transfer in, there's another who will unhappily transfer out. It can be complicated for the university to predict these ebbs and flows, but the reason it's so important is simple.

When a student like Samantha transfers out, she takes her pocketbook with her. The money for tuition, housing, books, and fees for at least four years walks right off campus. Jenna Hyatt, the Director of Resident Life at CWU says getting students acclimated quickly is key.

"The first six weeks is very important. It's kinda the red zone of when a student is really going to decide if they will stay or go."

Hyatt says having programs to keep students is only part of the solution. Having a plan to avoid budget shortfalls keeps the University one step ahead.

"We know how much to enroll to expect a certain amount of attrition," she says

CWU doesn't have to worry about Samantha, though. Her mom has laid down the law.

"I'm not leaving her a car this time, she doesn't have a lot of choices"

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