Drop in enrollment puts squeeze on Oklahoma Baptist University

SHAWNEE, Okla. (AP) -- Oklahoma Baptist University is facing a $2.4-million shortfall because of a drop in student enrollment.<br/><br/>OBU President Mark Brister says he has ordered a 10% cut to the school's

Tuesday, September 21st 2004, 6:31 am

By: News On 6

SHAWNEE, Okla. (AP) -- Oklahoma Baptist University is facing a $2.4-million shortfall because of a drop in student enrollment.

OBU President Mark Brister says he has ordered a 10% cut to the school's operations budget and is accelerating a financial recovery plan to cope with the shortfall.

It the first time the university has faced a budget deficit in 13 years.

Brister says the plan includes a new marketing approach to recruit students as well as ways to restructure and reorganize academic and administrative areas.

Some faculty and staff positions will be eliminated, but no specific decisions on what to cut out of the university's $31.5-million budget have been made.

Scholarships will stay at the current levels and sports will not be cut.

About 1,700 students are enrolled at OBU. About 5% of the students didn't return last year.