Godshall, of Elizabethtown, Pa., handed the gavel to her successor, Andrew (Andy) Dula of Lancaster, Pa., at the close of the two-day sessions.

Susan Godshall passes the gavel to her successor as EMU board chair, Andy Dula. Photo by Jim Bishop

Dula, a 1991 EMU graduate, is chief financial officer at EG Stoltzfus Construction, Lancaster, Pa. He will serve a three-year term as board chair.

Godshall, a 1965 EMU alumna, joined the board of trustees as a representative from Lancaster Mennonite Conference in November, 1998, and was elected board chair in 2004.

Alumni following Godly path

Godshall opened the meeting with a devotional based on Psalm 78. She told the board that she recently reviewed old trustee minutes and felt as though she was reading “a developing story” that began with the school’s founding in 1917.

“The vision behind the school’s beginning remains much the same today – training young people in the ways of God and of the Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective on Christian service…to live as God’s people in a society that would pulls us in other directions,” Godshall said.

“I am impressed, in reading EMU’s ‘Crossroads’ magazine, by seeing the difference that EMU alumni are making as their stories connect with God’s story,” she said.

Board adopts budget, reports funds

In board actions, the trustees adopted a preliminary operating budget with $30.1 million in total revenues for the 2010-11 fiscal year, a 6 percent percent increase over 2009-10.

The budget includes funding of $1.3 million for capital expenditures and debt reduction and $4 million in student scholarship funds and calls for $1.8 in contributions to the University Fund by June 30, 2011.

Gerry Horst, chair of the advancement and enrollment/marketing committee, reported that EMU’s University Fund (for annual unrestricted contributions) was running over 6% behind last year’s pace.

“Intensive year-end efforts continue to close the gap by June 30,” Horst said.

Outgoing trustees

Several other trustees concluded terms of service at the June board meeting. In addition to Susan Godshall, the board recognized:

• Steve Brenneman of Nappanee, Ind.
• Shirley Hochstetler of Kidron, Ohio
• Robert Hostetler of Erie, Pa.
• Joan King of Telford, Pa.
• Lillis Troyer of Walnut Creek, Ohio

By Heather Bowser, Daily News-Record

Most private schools have endured a tough year financially, but 草莓社区 has bucked that trend, officials there say. The Harrisonburg university remains “financially healthy,” recently passing a budget 3.4 percent larger than last year’s, EMU administrators said Tuesday.

The school’s 17-member board of trustees approved a $28.5 million spending plan for fiscal 2010, a figure that’s $952,000 more than in the 2009 budget.

草莓社区 recently approved a $28.5 million budget plus a capital renovation plan that includes the overhaul of the Mainstage Theater and other sites in the University Commons building at a cost of $2.4 million. Photo by Nikki Fox

The increase was primarily driven by enrolling 84 more full-time students than in 2009, said Ron Piper, EMU’s vice president of finance. This year, 1,243 full-time students are enrolled at the university.

Also, nine more students are paying to live in dorms this year, which generates additional revenue, Piper said. With those two contributing factors, EMU was able to fill three non-teaching full-time positions previously left vacant.

In addition to approving the budget, university officials also adopted a $2.4 million spending plan to renovate the Mainstage Theater and other sites throughout the University Commons building.

草莓社区 is planning on renovating parts of the University Commons building, including the Mainstage Theater. Photo by Nikki Fox

“EMU is doing moderately well in a challenging economic environment,” said Kirk Shisler, EMU vice president for advancement. “We are optimistic that we will be close to our fundraising targets.”

By The Numbers

Here’s a quick wrap-up of budget and money matters decided by EMU’s trustees and provided to the Daily News-Record on Tuesday by Piper.

Faculty, staff and “friends of the university” contributed $131,000 for “emergency student aid.” The fund was created to make up for a drop in scholarships from endowment investments. While total giving to the university is up 18 percent year to date, alumni giving to the annual fund is off 8 percent.

EMU’s new budget allocated $6,500 more in funding – up from $35,500 last year to $42,000 – to increase student counseling services.

Money for capital projects is down from last year’s $730,000 by about 42 percent to $420,300.

Renovation projects include a $120,000 job in the library building to create a new classroom for the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. That project will change the facade of the building slightly on the east and north by adding windows on the lower level.

EMU’s board also authorized the administration to borrow $6 million to renovate Elmwood and Maplewood residence halls. Those projects are expected to start this summer and be completed by January 2011 and June 2011, respectively.

By Dan Wright, Daily News-Record

EMU spends millions of dollars in the Shenandoah Valley, provides hundreds of jobs and helps hundreds of people improve their business skills.

Of its $28 million budget for fiscal 2005-06, EMU pumped $20.6 million into the Shenandoah Valley