In the midst of the collective campus uproar over her unexpected retirement announcement, University of Lynchburg President Alison Morrison-Shetlar sat in her office on Wednesday afternoon, beaming with gratitude. As students, faculty, and staff buzzed with speculation about the future, she talked about the growth that the university has seen in the last five years and the promise that lies ahead.
Only hours earlier, she announced that she would retire after the 2025-26 academic year.
“To be president of the University of Lynchburg is a great honor and a privilege,” said President Alison, who has served as university president since 2020. “I’ve loved every minute of it.”
President Alison praised the efforts made by campus leadership and faculty to overcome obstacles that the university has faced in recent years, including navigating financial challenges and cuts to academic programs, both of which have been met by staunch criticism from students, faculty, and the surrounding community.
“We took the $12 million deficit and it’s now less than $2.5 million in three years, which is incredible,” said President Alison, who attributed the accomplishment to the financial expertise of Chief Financial Officer Price Jett.
But earlier this year, S&P Global, a company that assesses financial performance and provides credit ratings to various entities, lowered Lynchburg’s credit rating from “BBB+” to “BBB.” While the university still maintains a “stable” outlook, S&P Global attributed Lynchburg’s deficit operations and nearly 5% decrease in enrollment in fall 2024 to its lowered rating, stating that the factors “present increased credit risk.”
President Alison explained the university’s efforts to maintain fiscal responsibility, noting that specific “levers” need to be pulled to continue the progress made in reducing its deficit, including ensuring that student enrollment steadily increases.
“We need to continue to look at our enrollment,” the president shared. “We need to look at the retention of our students and what is keeping them here and what might be causing them to leave.”
While fiscal responsibility surrounding the university has raised concerns about the institution’s future, President Alison highlighted the impact that the “One Lynchburg” campaign has had on the university’s success.
“Our goal was [to raise] $40 million over seven years, and we are at $39 million right now,” President Alison revealed, adding that she hopes to close out the campaign by the end of this year, two years ahead of its anticipated completion date.
“This indicates that people are really interested in investing in our students, in our campus, in our community,” said President Alison, who launched the campaign on her first day as president in 2020. “They’re seeing great things happening here, and they want to be a part of that.”
She shared that the funds have been used to support the three key pillars of the campaign:
- One Hive – Enhance endowed scholarships and foster belonging amongst students
- One Heart – Provide support for academics, research, and service learning initiatives
- One Home – Support innovative learning and gathering spaces
As the university seeks solutions to its declining enrollment, the institution has been scrutinized for its decision to cut 17 of its academic programs in May 2024, which resulted in the termination of 40 staff and faculty members.
Acknowledging that while the decision was met with backlash from certain members of the Lynchburg community, President Alison maintains that the university is committed to actively listening to the feedback of its student body and faculty.
“What we’ve done is we’ve taken things that students have not wanted to go into and added things that students did want to go into,” she shared. “It makes us more dynamic.”
Recently, the university has added a doctoral program for executive leadership in healthcare, a men’s wrestling program, and a graduate program in athletic and coaching education, among others. President Alison revealed that these programs have been met with positive feedback and support, both of which she believes contribute to the student experience.
“The student experience is our number one thing, whether it’s inside the classroom or outside the classroom,” she said.
Despite any criticism of her leadership or decisions made during her tenure, President Alison believes that she has made strides to ensure that the university will continue to thrive for the next 122 years.
“I always said I wanted to be in a place where I created environments where everyone can meet their maximum potential,” she said, applauding faculty and staff for their support. “I certainly have done that here, so I’m very proud of that.”
For more information on President Alison’s campus initiatives and retirement announcement, visit thecritograph.com.
