Inside Columbia Magazine CEO Fall 2010 : Page 54
M A R i A n n e i n M A n President, Central Methodist University i n today’s world of ever-narrowing specialization, Marianne Inman likes to pull out a startling statistic as she makes the case for a liberal arts education. “Students in college right now are looking at five to seven job changes in their lifetime,” she says. “Not just changing employers or switching companies, but doing completely different kinds of work. Five to seven different kinds of work.” That prospect, she says, is the strength of a liberal arts education and “the core of a CMU education.” Inman, the 63-year-old president of Central Methodist University, is committed to extending access to that higher education core throughout Missouri. In addition to its main campus in Fayette, CMU operates nine regional campuses at Columbia, Sedalia, Clinton, Lake of the Ozarks, Union, Park Hills, Poplar Bluff, St. Louis and Macon, as well as a number of extended studies sites and a dual-credit program with nearly 130 Missouri high schools. “We have made it our mission to bring educational opportunities to learners, wherever they happen to be,” Inman says. “The distance between home and school is decreasing all the time.” Expansion and outreach have gone hand-in-hand with CMU’s growth during Inman’s 15-year administration. Enrollment is at record levels on the Fayette campus and in the College of Graduate & Extended Studies. CMU opened its Columbia campus in 2002 on the Rock Bridge High School campus. In 2007, it moved to its current location at the Forum Shopping Center and offered programs in business, humanities, psychology, foreign language and nursing. Space expanded in 2008 as programs grew. Degree programs in Columbia include Bachelor of Accountancy, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and one graduate degree: Master of Science in Nursing. The campus offers day and evening classes in 16-week sessions. Conservative fiscal practices have kept the school on stable financial footing. In 54 I InsIde ColumbIa’s CEO I FALL 2010 CMU AT A GlAnCe Founding year: 1854 (Fayette); 2002 (Columbia) Total enrollment: 5,000 Columbia enrollment: 600 Average tuition cost: $18,060 per year (traditional); $190– $355 per credit hour (College of Graduate & extended Studies and online) Columbia employees: 23 at Columbia campus; an additional 50 Columbians work at the Fayette campus Size of Columbia facility: 5,500 square feet; 7 classrooms the face of recession, CMU has had no layoffs and has continued to grant salary increases. “We have a philosophy of budgeting conservatively and managing money prudently,” Inman says. Her leadership style is inclusive. “I believe in involving all relevant persons,” she says. “I rely on the senior administrative staff and the wisdom in Central’s community. We all have a stake in CMU’s future. Everybody is important to accomplish the goal.” To keep CMU’s offerings relevant, Inman revived the concept of program review about a dozen years ago. “Keeping up with the times is essential,” she says. “We are always cognizant of market forces and always reviewing academic programs.” The mission of the university, Inman says, is to prepare students to make a difference in the world by emphasizing academic and professional excellence, ethical leadership and social responsibility. “That mission extends to all, not just traditional students,” she adds. “Any time students are involved in higher education, they are progressing toward a higher goal of betterment.” Providing access to that higher goal is what drives CMU’s commitment to growth and extended outreach, she says. “It’s a perfect mix.”
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