Community Post: President Gayle Beebe on Westmont Growth

Here's a community post from Westmont College President Gayle Beebe. I'm honored to have him here as a guest blogger and am happy to offer his perspective on my post from the other day. Thank you for offering your thoughts.

The Following was Written by Westmont College President Gayle Beebe

Hi, Sara, I'm new to Santa Barbara. It seems that my interview in the Pacific Coast Business Times led some people to assume my enthusiasm about fulfilling our approved campus master plan means the college will increase its enrollment beyond 1,200. It does not.

For the record, I will never ­- and the college will never ­- seek to increase the number of students on our Montecito campus. I knew the college was committed to the 1,200-student cap when I accepted the position, and I plan to honor
the college’s long-standing policy of not adding more students on campus. I am sure most everyone in town knew that Westmont never plans to grow its enrollment.

We are building new facilities to better serve our 1,200 students. As several writers on your blog have noted, we went through a very long and completely thorough public process to earn approval for the update to our approved campus master plan.

I'd love to give you a tour so you can see the many students living three to a room and the severe lack of classroom, lab and faculty office space.

At present, our average square feet per student on campus is just 312; the average for liberal arts colleges in America today is 549 (and top-ranked schools have 742). Even after we fulfill the campus master plan many years down the road, our average square feet per student will be just 624.

Best of all, despite the new buildings, nearly 80 percent of our campus will remain as open space. We are very proud of our scenic and wooded campus.

We recognize that it’s a privilege to be located in such a special community, and we honor the privilege every day.

Gayle Beebe
President
Westmont College

Is Westmont the New UCSB?

PacBizTimes just did a story on Westmont's new President Gayle Beebe and how he wants to continue growing the university into Montecito. Unfortunately, he has a history of growth considering the fact that he grew Spring Arbor Michigan to a doubled budget of $52 million and 14 more buildings. Enrollment doubled and Spring Arbor was named one of the best "Christian" places to work by Christian Today Magazine. I'm all for delivering God's purpose but do not think it can be seen in doubling Westmont's enrollment and size....is that his intention? Read more at the PCBT.....Beebe seems to be demuring from double growth but is not saying he won't either.