1. Enrollment drops, marketing efforts increase

Kentucky has seen a decline in the number of students graduating high school.

The descent was marked by a drop in the number of high school students that graduated between 2003 and 2010. The U.S. Department of Education anticipated that the growth of Kentucky high school graduates will continue to decline. 

Sharon Hunter, coordinator of College Readiness, has been working to create a marketing plan that will maintain a steady enrollment for WKU. She said the decline has been focused around traditional high school-aged students.

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2. Athlete, student spending ratio disproportionate

WKU spends over $36,000 per student-athlete and only $11,000 per full-time student — nearly a $25,000 gap — according to a study by the Knight Commission, a third-party organization that looks at both academic and athletic spending for universities across the country. 

“Faculty find it devastating that we continue to pay such large amounts of money for something that is ultimately really nice and fine, but it’s not the essential part of the university mission,” faculty regent Patricia Minter said. 

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3. In My Skin: Non-traditional student strives for degree

In My Skin is a weekly feature series that looks to tell the stories of diverse student populations at WKU. Its goal is to serve as a simple reminder that WKU is location of diversity — or at least trying to be.

In this week’s installment, the Herald reports on the experiences of non-traditional students at WKU. 

“Do it for yourself — not anybody else,” Barbara Morrow, a 32-year-old junior, said.

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4. Dry Clean Only: Explore new trends this spring

Read what our fashion columnists have to say about new trends to try out this spring. 

From crazy socks to jumpsuits, Kae and Keevin have you covered for what to wear this spring

Read the column here

5. Caving group helps clean Hidden River Cave

For most people, caving is a once-in-a lifetime experience. But for the members of Green River Grotto, it’s their life.

The Green River Grotto has been involved in the Bowling Green community since 1979. The group started out with just a few people who loved caving, but now it has turned into a club filled with locals, WKU faculty and students.

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