St. Thomas University has many new faces on campus at this time of year. One of those faces is Scott Duguay’s, St. Thomas’s new associate vice-president of enrollment management.
Duguay saw something in STU that he believes is rare in other universities: a close community.
“I think the education at St. Thomas is of very high quality,” Duguay said. “We protect the personal experience here by capping course capacity at sixty students, which is unheard of at other institutions.”
Duguay joined the administration team in May after a decade of declining enrollment at St. Thomas. When the position was announced last April, English professor Dennis Desroches criticized the creation of the new position. In a story in The Aquinian from last April, Desroches said decisions like this make universities resemble corporations instead of institutions of higher learning.
“I think what keeps students in university is not managers but great courses and great faculty,” said Desroches.
Between preliminary counts from October of 2003 and 2013, enrollment dropped nearly a third. Enrollment statistics aren’t yet available for this academic year. Previously he worked as director of enrollment management at Bishop’s University. During his time there, the school saw the reversal of a downward trend in applications.
STU communications director Jeffrey Carleton said the recruitment of students is a competitive, complex and ever-changing field. The enrollment manager must coordinate all aspects of recruitment and retention of students.
“Its a very sophisticated field,” Carleton said. “It’s not a matter of making a viewbook and saying ‘there you go.’”
As an overseer of student services and residence life among other branches of the university, Duguay has a lot on his plate.
He said he couldn’t do it without the help of the admissions team.
“I’m convinced we have the right people in student services and recruitment. They’re some very motivated and student-focused people, and I think that is the key to us succeeding.”
Born and raised in Fredericton, Duguay pursued his education at UNB and soon became the president of its student union.
He encourages students to grasp the various opportunities the city and campus has to offer.
“When you get involved just a little bit, and continue with involvement, it is well documented that it adds to student growth,” he said.
