In the 161 years since Carroll College was incorporated, much has changed. The college has certainly grown – total enrollment in fall 2007 is about 3,350, including graduate and part-time students. Academic offerings have expanded – Carroll now offers more than 60 undergraduate areas of study and four graduate degrees, including a doctorate in physical therapy.

During the last decade, a wide variety of Carroll College constituents have engaged in spirited discussions about the future of this great institution. In the last year, as new President Douglas N. Hastad has talked with members of every Carroll stakeholder group, the future of Carroll has been at the top of the list of conversation topics. Many of those conversations have included a variation on the theme: "Have you ever thought about becoming Carroll
University?"

Clearly, many people have thought about it, so we, too, decided to start talking about it. The discussions will be expansive and will include every Carroll College constituency. As the process unfolds, we will keep you informed and involved.

These recurring themes will be included in our discussions:

• No decisions have been made. We are just beginning the discussion, which will continue for some time. Every stakeholder group will be involved.
• The core values espoused by Carroll’s founders always have been, are and always will be important, and would not change.
• Because of its academic offerings, Carroll College looks and acts like a university. Indeed, many outside groups, including the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, already include Carroll in their “university” categories. U.S. News & World Report uses the Carnegie classifications as the basis for their annual Best Colleges rankings of U.S. colleges and universities.
• As we work to create partnerships with international institutions and recruit international students, we need to consider how we are viewed. In many cultures, “college” means high school or technical school.
• Many colleges similar in scope and mission to Carroll have successfully become universities.
• The opportunity to recruit more non-traditional and/or distance-learning students will help support the traditional Carroll Experience for undergraduate students.

During the months ahead, we will communicate with you regularly through this Web site. If you have a question or wish to comment, visit our feedback form.