1,200 students celebrate SCSU graduation as school administrators face uncertain future
ST. CLOUD, Minn. — It was a perfect spring day for new graduates of St. Cloud State University, and while students enjoyed their well-earned moment, there were also clouds of uncertainty hovering over the school's future.
Robbyn Wacker, the school's outgoing president, will move into a strictly ceremonial role effective May 5 — nearly two months before her departure — according to a memo from Minnesota State Chancellor Scott Olson.
"I thank President Wacker for her selfless devotion to SCSU," Olson wrote. "She has been a strategic thinker, a visionary leader, and an organizational innovator."
Larry Lee, SCSU's Vice President for Finance & Administration, will be acting president, and Olson explained that he will help guide decisions surrounding the FY2025 and FY2026 budget.
Lee's position will also be temporary, however, with Interim President Designate Larry Dietz coming on board later this summer.
Wacker, who appeared on stage with graduates on Friday, wrote in her own message to the SCSU community, "We have faced numerous challenges together, including demographic shifts, evolving public perspectives on higher education, and the unprecedented global pandemic. Through these trials, we have emerged stronger, more resilient, and more innovative. Our collective efforts have led to remarkable achievements, including significant growth in Fall '23 enrollment and on-campus living, reaching our highest numbers since 2015."
Enrollment decline leads to big deficits
Sources within the SCSU administration told WCCO the current deficit is more than $24.5 million; last year, it was $18 million.
"Most of the colleges and universities of Minnesota State, similarly to institutions of higher education across the country, have seen several years of declining enrollment due to demographic and economic trends," Olson wrote in a statement to WCCO. "There are fewer students graduating from high school than in the past, as well as a strong economy that entices would-be students into the workforce. Each one of our colleges and universities must balance their budget each year, and regularly do so by adjusting services and program offerings to meet student and workforce demands."
Still, among the state system's 33 colleges and universities, Bemidji State is the only other institution operating in the red.
According to a spokeswoman, Bemidji State has worked to close its shortfall thanks to increasing enrollment and student retention numbers, and those are in large part to the North Star Promise Scholarship and the American Indian Scholars Program; the school has also seen increases in fundraising while also working with faculty directly on tightening budgets.
At St. Cloud State, Wacker told students and faculty in 2023 that the university faced tough decisions ahead, and proposed a series of cuts to faculty and programming. They included closing the School of Public Affairs, as well as dropping dozens of areas of study.
None, however, have been formally announced or implemented.
Graduates enjoy the moment
Despite the financial issues affecting St. Cloud State, students, families and faculty all had positive things to say about their experiences.
Jacqueline Massmann, a hospitality major, said the emotions of graduation hit like a tidal wave.
"I'm so happy for the opportunities I had here and it's a great campus. I loved every minute here," she said.
Anfa Abdi, a double major in information systems and business management, said. "I have no idea what the future holds for me but I'm definitely excited to see where I end up. It's the best that I have people there with me who are going to see me through every single part."
