As a state school, they mostly marketed to alumni (who knew what “liberal arts” actually meant… maybe?… maybe?… maybe not) with kids, and the local area, which is very red and does not listen well to things that don’t come from Fox News. I suspect a campaign to enlighten conservative parents would take more skill than cabinet ever exhibited, based on some of their other campaigns <shudder>.

A few years ago they had a good money-making idea (I thought): bring in foreign students. The foreign kids get a US education, the US students are exposed to foreign cultures, and the graduates go home with a better appreciation of the US. AND (very important point) the foreign students pay the full tuition price — no in-state discount. The president and senior members of cabinet even flew overseas to do face-to-face meetings with education ministry officials and cement the deal. Smiles all around! Win for the university!

This was around 2013, if I remember right. Oh, and the country was China. It was an easy market, they didn’t focus anywhere else.

You see where this is going. Or where it went, actually.

In 2016 the wheels started coming off the wagon. By 2017, the wheels had disintegrated, the wagon was in a ditch, and the horse was on fire.

Currently no Chinese national students at the university. ☹️