The main focus of Dr. Cynthia Warrick, interim president of Grambling State University is to make sure GSU has a successful semester.
Although she doesn’t plan on applying for a permanent position at the university, she said she is laying out the foundation for whoever comes behind her.
“My first semester was pretty exciting, because Grambling is an iconic school and having so many various activities and challenges going on at the same time – I think we did pretty well,” Warrick said.
One of her main goals is to continue to raise money to get GSU out of its three million dollar deficiency.
This fall’s enrollment was supposed to bring in more money for the university – but it didn’t.
“When we didn’t get 600 students, then that was over three million dollars in revenue that we didn’t get that, that we had budged for,” she said. “And what’s happening here is we expected to have those 600 students, and when they didn’t show up that money we projected in our budget is for things we needed to cover.”
Even though GSU is in debt, the university is currently on track with their budget, except for housing. A lot of students who are supposed to be living on campus have moved off, and this causes a finical problem.
“If they’re freshman who were approved to live off campus, that fine. But if they are off campus and they weren’t approved, then we may need to charge them so they can move in this spring,” Warrick said. “A notice will be going out to let students know if you were approved your okay – but if you’re a freshman and didn’t go through the process then you will be charged.”
Warrick has made plans for enrollment management by hosting recruitment events and high school visits to get GSU’s numbers and resources up.
Along with that, she has planned a second high school day for the spring during the Black and Gold scrimmage. A Gala will also be held in hopes of recruitment and fundraising for the school.
She and the library planning committee have sat down to ensure we will have a new 21st century resource and research facility.
This will also include the new Career Service Center, which will help student prepare for life after college.
In addition to a new library Warrick has also focused on campus beautification. Focusing on eternity garden and Greek plots. She is also working with the Intramural Center Planning Committee on the school’s long awaited pool.
Warrick also wants to hear the study body’s voice so she can address their needs on the school and how to improve the school. She also plans on continuing too add resources to the school for the students, such as a coffee area in Jacob T. Stewart’s college of business.
She also has created task forces and councils to get campus wide involvement in the planning and implementation of important functions at GSU. There main focus is recruitment, graduation, communications, and academic affairs. She also wants to start intramural activities – such as Zumba marathons.
Although she is not applying for a permanent position, Warrick hopes the student body, the facility and staff support her and have a successful year.