A 5 percent increase in admission applications to Western Kentucky University could lead to between 100 and 250 new undergraduate, full-time Kentucky students in the fall, a university official told the WKU Board of Regents on Friday. 

The number of undergraduate, full-time international students is projected to increase by 200.

An increase would reverse a fall 2013 decline, said Brian Meredith, vice president for enrollment.

“The enrollment story is not over,” he said. “This is the most aggressive 15 months we’ve done in a long time.” WKU is conducting 10 tours a week, all of which begin in the Augenstein Alumni Center then move up the hill to the main campus.

WKU is third in total enrollment in Kentucky behind the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville. UK’s latest total enrollment number was 28,928, and U of L’s was 22,293. WKU, which had experienced 15 straight years of increased enrollments, dropped 668 students between the fall 2012 enrollment of 21,124 and the fall 2013 enrollment of 20,456.

In another matter, new student Regent Janet “Nicki” Seay of Crofton was sworn in by board Vice Chairman Frederick Higdon. Seay is a rising senior with a double major of agriculture and mass communications.

She will serve on the academic affairs and student affairs committees.

Enrollment projections are hard to calculate since four more academic transition sessions await students and parents prior to when the fall term begins Aug. 25. WKU also is tracking out-of-state, international and transfer students. Many of the transfers come from the eight dual-enrollment agreement institutions in Kentucky and Tennessee. A ninth dual-enrollment agreement will be signed Aug. 5 in Evansville, Ind. Student transfer applications are up 14.6 percent, and Meredith also predicted a slight increase in out-of-state domestic students.

WKU President Gary Ransdell said the decline in part-time Kentucky students – also projected for this fall – wasn’t anticipated in fall 2013. “This year we are working to offset it. We are looking at dollars, quality and numbers,” he said. 

Enrollment has become the top priority at WKU, and enrollment numbers have been presented to regents at committee and regular meetings. A decline in enrollment, coupled with a state funding cutback, led to privatization of WKU Health Services by Graves Gilbert Clinic. The $1 million used to subsidize that operation filled a shortfall in the nearly $400 million 2014-15 budget.

The regents approved four new certificate programs in automation, manufacturing and logistics, manufacturing processing and technology and Six Sigma and quality. The programs are in response to the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Urgent Call to Action” regarding needed workforce skills in southcentral Kentucky. A master of science in environmental and occupational health science, a bachelor of arts in paralegal studies and three graduate certificates – in global pathways to sustainability, business sustainability and communicating in health care – also were approved. Undergraduate certificates in food science and interactive training design were approved along with an undergraduate minor in citizenship and social justice.

The regents named Beverly Siegrist as a university distinguished professor. Siegrist, who has been at WKU for more than 25 years, is the graduate program coordinator in nursing and the first university distinguished professor from the College of Health and Human Services.

Siegrist played a lead role in the development and implementation of WKU’s doctor of nursing practice course and has advised numerous students in the educational leadership doctoral program. During her tenure, the number of graduate nursing students has grown from 36 to more than 200, a release noted.

The regents, on an 8-1 vote with two regents not present, approved three finance and budget committee actions. Approved were personnel actions, the fiscal year 2015 audit plan and using the university’s reserve allocation, a draw up to $2.4 million, for design, abatement and demolition costs of Phase IV of the  Kelly Thompson Science Complex. 

Staff Regent James Kennedy voted no. Kennedy explained during a break in the meeting Friday that he took issue with some personnel actions on the agenda in light of university employees laid off through the WKU Health Sciences privatization by Graves Gilbert Clinic. Kennedy declined to elaborate further. Ransdell said Graves Gilbert is meeting with WKU Health Services employees to determine whom they may hire from existing staff. At least 15 university employees’ jobs were in jeopardy because of the privatization decision.

Graves Gilbert starts running the health services clinic Friday. The parking lot near the clinic is being expanded by 24 spaces.

Regents also were informed that the now-closed north wing of the Kelly Thompson Science Complex will have materials abated, such as asbestos, and then the building will be demolished over Christmas break. 

WKU has written confirmation that it will be reimbursed for the work. The Kentucky General Assembly provided $48 million in a capital appropriation – the first such state appropriation in several years in the biennium budget. A new science building will be constructed to replace the North Wing, and Thompson’s Center Wing will be renovated. The new science building is to be completed by June 30, 2017, and the Thompson Center Wing renovation by Jan. 30, 2018.

— Follow education reporter Chuck Mason on Twitter at twitter.com/bgdnschools or visit bgdailynews.com.