Executive Summary

Western Connecticut State University has moved from stabilization into a phase of measurable student, fiscal, and reputational momentum. In AY25-26, the university reversed a multi-year enrollment decline, lifted first-year retention to 76%, completed a favorable NECHE Focused Evaluation response, achieved roughly $4.5M in expense savings, and secured more than $20M to advance high-priority capital projects.

Dashboard of Key Metrics

~10% Total Enrollment Growth YoY	76% First-Year Retention	$4.5M Expense Savings
$20M+ Capital Funding Secured	$1.98M YTD Fundraising	~1,100* Media Mentions Since Aug 2025

*Internal estimate; pending independent validation.

Enrollment Management & Financial Aid

Applications rose to 7,262 (+4%), campus visitors grew to 2,376 (+12%), and yield-event participation reached 691 accepted students (+17%). ISIRs received climbed 16.12% to 10,979, supported by a new Net Price Calculator and personalized award-offer videos.

Academic Affairs

Sports & Wellness Management grew 85%, NCLEX and MS acute care NP pass rates reached 100%, and the Moot Court program ranked top-30 nationally. The Carol A. Hawkes Center of Excellence for Learning and Teaching was established.

Student Affairs

Peer mentors expanded from 15 to 25, supporting 850+ first-year students across 30 UNI 101 sections. JUMP Start produced 92% academic improvement among participants, and Wally's Cupboard distributed 7,200+ pounds of food to 220+ students.

University Advisement Center

More than 5,300 advising appointments were scheduled, the First Annual Transfer Student Celebration launched, and advisors will present on equity-minded major exploration at the 2026 SCSU First-Year Experience Conference.

Finance & Administration

Accounts Receivable reached its lowest point in 10+ years and the lowest among the four CSUs. WebFocus reports were converted to Argos, LeaseQuery was implemented, and a $50,000 grant was secured through the auto-admit Accelerator project.

Human Resources

HR reorganization produced $91,000 in annual savings with a 0.5 FTE reduction. Fifty-five employees were recognized for 10+ years of service, and workflow modernization advanced through Power Apps, JazzHR, and OnBase.

Information Technology & Innovation

WolvesNet launched as the campus digital front door, the Ellucian Banner SaaS transition began, and virtual reality capability was deployed across academic programs with a focus on Nursing.

Facilities — Planning, Design & Operations

More than 30 projects were completed and 19 remain in progress, including the Warner Hall Innovation Classroom, O'Neill Center Arena HVAC, VPAC lobby lighting, and WAC turf replacement.

WestConn Police Department

A survey of 500+ residents reported 90%+ feeling safe on campus. The department achieved the highest POSTC Accreditation after progressing through three levels in 28 months, and Janie, the facility dog, was named in honor of Dr. Jane Goodall's connection to WestConn.

Communications & Marketing

Billboards expanded from 3 to 7 statewide; audio spots grew from 2 to 6; streaming TV expanded from 1 to 3 commercials with bilingual Telemundo versions. The website reached 702,000 active users, and an estimated ~1,100 WestConn media mentions and ~120 references to President Bernal were generated since August 2025.*

Athletics

Six of seven new varsity sports launched, Day of Giving raised $230,868 (+$23K), and the athletics website grew to 661,000 unique users (+226% YoY). WestConn Athletics received the NADIIIAA 2026 Community Service Award.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

WestConn joined Excelencia in Education and the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, launched the Fifth Commitment, and initiated the SSITA assessment to deepen its Hispanic-Serving Institution mission.

Institutional Advancement

$1.982M raised year-to-date from 3,729 donations and 2,630 unique donors. Wolves Day of Giving reached $405,661, and inauguration-related giving exceeded $110,000.

Legislative Advocacy

SB 298 established the CT Center for School Safety as the statewide authority on school crisis response drill standards. A WestConn-specific H.R. 1 impact analysis projected $3.25M+ in student aid exposure across 399 borrowers, and the university defended $350M+ in Title III/V MSI funding.

Recognitions & Rankings

• #1 Public University in CT for Women — Newsweek
• #1 in CT for Social Mobility — CollegeNet
• #2 Public University in CT — WSJ / College Pulse
• #1 National BCBA Master's Degree — Intelligent.com
• #30 National Moot Court Program
• #33 U.S. News Top Public Schools (up 8 spots)
• 330,701 kWh/year Annualized Energy Savings
• 550 Student-Athletes at Day of Service (21 teams, 70 sites)

Looking Ahead

The year ahead focuses on fiscal sustainability, retention growth toward 77%, applied learning scale-up, capital execution, brand strength, regional workforce alignment, and continued advocacy for students, HSI/MSI funding, and Connecticut's public regional university mission.