[jcmanson]

So says the headline of this article: http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=18495&mid=15663

The late Dr. Jerry Falwell, founder of Liberty University, once said, “We believe that God is going to help us build the greatest Christian school in the world.” Part of that vision was having 50,000 students taking classes through LU.

Today that vision has been realized. When the spring semester got under way in January, more than 50,000 students were taking classes on LU’s campus in Lynchburg, Va., and through Liberty University Online. There are currently nearly 12,000 residential students and more than 45,000 online students – through early February a total of 57,371 students were enrolled.

Now that Dr. Falwell’s vision has been fulfilled, Falwell Jr. continues to focus on the future.

Really? He always stated publicly his vision was to have 25,000 on campus. We're not even half way there. I guess we’re just going to “change” his visions as time moves forward.

[Rocketfan]

So says the headline of this article: http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=18495&mid=15663

The late Dr. Jerry Falwell, founder of Liberty University, once said, “We believe that God is going to help us build the greatest Christian school in the world.” Part of that vision was having 50,000 students taking classes through LU.

Today that vision has been realized. When the spring semester got under way in January, more than 50,000 students were taking classes on LU’s campus in Lynchburg, Va., and through Liberty University Online. There are currently nearly 12,000 residential students and more than 45,000 online students – through early February a total of 57,371 students were enrolled.

Now that Dr. Falwell’s vision has been fulfilled, Falwell Jr. continues to focus on the future.

Really? He always stated publicly his vision was to have 25,000 on campus. We're not even half way there. I guess we’re just going to “change” his visions as time moves forward.

+1 I do recall hearing him say 25k on Liberty Mountain as well.

[SuperJon]

Chancellor Falwell said that when his father died in May 2007, his dad’s vision for LU was to enroll 25,000 online students and 25,000 residential students.

[LUconn]

Controversy!!!!!!

[SuperJon]

The 50,000 students part has been fulfilled. We're not at the 25,000 on campus yet. It's possible to fulfill a vision in a different way than originally stated while working towards the originally stated vision.

For example, everyone was flipping out when we beat Notre Dame in baseball in 08 and when we got to play them in basketball in 09 because we were starting to fulfill Doc's vision. His stated vision was to play them in football, but we all understood that playing them in the other sports was a notable achievement on the way to the ultimate vision.

[jcmanson]

The thing that irritates me is that the article says "Now that Dr. Falwell's vision has been fulfilled..." No it hasn't. His goal was 25k on and 25k off not just 50k total. I'm dissapointed Jr. let them publish it with that headline and that sentence.

[olldflame]

Doc's BHAG actually evolved while he was still alive, but if you go back far enough, the 50,000 figure has always been there, even when we only had a couple of thousand students, and long before we even had a distance learning program. I think later on when he saw how fast DLP was growing and realized the 50,000 figure could be reached with a relatively low number on campus (witness the current situation) he added the goal for 25,000 on campus.

In other words, the 50,000 students goal has been achieved; the 25,000 on campus has not. IMHO it is an acheivement worth talking about. By the time we get to 25,000 on the mountain, we may have 100,000 counting DL.

[jcmanson]

In other words, the 50,000 students goal has been achieved; the 25,000 on campus has not. IMHO it is an acheivement worth talking about. By the time we get to 25,000 on the mountain, we may have 100,000 counting DL.

I understand that, and I'm fine with that; however, the way the article was written it does not come across that way.

[jcmanson]

nm

[Hold My Own]

If Doc was here today he would be pushing this 50,000 number more then anyone because its something to be proud of. 50,000 that has always been an important number around here, but I think most of you have a problem with the wording that could be interpreted a few different ways.

[jcmanson]

Chancellor Falwell said that when his father died in May 2007, his dad’s vision for LU was to enroll 25,000 online students and 25,000 residential students.

Same article, 4 paragraphs later:

Now that Dr. Falwell’s vision has been fulfilled, Falwell Jr. continues to focus on the future.

Contradiction?

[jcmanson]

I found this interesting:

http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/liberty-university/

Rev. Falwell's original vision was to build the university as large as Notre Dame and Brigham Young University, with 25,000 students on campus and another 25,000 in External Degree Programs. The institution has faced a series of financial crises over the years and, as time passes, the fulfillment of these original ambitions look increasingly unlikely.

[olldflame]

That article is wrong on so many levels.

1) 25,000/25,000 was NOT the original goal, but an updated one.

2) We are not in a financial crisis, and aren't likely to be in one any time soon..

3) Achieving 25,000 on campus, while still an ambitious goal, is not IMHO "increasingly unlikely". In fact, while I wouldn't put a time frame on it, short of Christ returning before we get there I would say it is pretty much inevitable.

[BJWilliams]

Dr Falwell often spoke of getting 50,000 students...he didnt as much harp on the 25,000 on campus as much in the latter years (although seeing the explosion of the online program was an encouragement). When I heard the announcement I did think about how Dr Falwell had expressed a desire in his lifetime ot have 50,000 that way but I can understand the excitement for at least seeing 50,000 students...with where we are right now I can live with putting 25,000 on campus on hold for the time being.

[jcmanson]

I guess I should have stated that article was from 2004

[jcmanson]

I don't mean to take away from reaching the 50,000 student mark. The more I research it the more I see how that was a goal for Doc. Of course, I wouldn't say his "vision is fulfilled"

[Kolzilla41]

I can assure you 25,000 on campus students is still a goal. There are other outside influences that play a huge part to that number i.e local and state environmental laws for erecting buildings and also the economy. I would be surprised to see 20k plus in the next 5 years.

[ALUmnus]

I don't get why this has sent you into such a tissy. Jerry had many many visions and goals for LU, even since the time I got here ('96), and this was just one of them. So yes, his vision for 50k has been fulfilled. Goodness.

[JLFJR]

Hold my Own called and said I should comment here. We showed a 1985 clip in Convo this morning where Dad stated the vision of 50,000 students on campus. We had two other clips that we did not have time to play. The first was from 2005 where Dad said the vision was 25,000 on campus and 25,000 online. By that time, he had seen the technological advances that made distance learning and online education possible so he revised the vision. The online programs had been improved so that students were enrolling in programs that led to degrees, not just taking one class or two like they did in the late 1980s. So, even online students were catching the vision and being given the tools to become Champions for Christ. Dad was practical and, when he saw new technologies develop, he was quick to use every available means to reach every available person. That is why he was such a pioneer in using TV to spread the gospel in the 1950s and 1960s. If he had seen the further technological advances that occurred after his death that allowed schools like University of Phoenix to enroll nearly 500,000 students, if he had seen the crash of the financial markets in 2008 that prevented many families from being able to afford the luxury of uprooting and spending four years in residence at a college (and many colleges starting 3 year bachelor degree programs for that reason) and, if he had seen the nutty environmental laws that have been passed in Virginia to protect streams, ditches and wetlands, making it almost cost prohibitive to build any major buildings (thank you, Preston Bryant and Tim Kaine), he would have further revised how his vision of 50,000 students would be implemented, in my opinion. Nitpick all you want jcmanson but we have over 57,000 students and LU is now the largest private, non-profit university in the country (no. 8 even if you count the for-profit schools like U of Phoenix and in the top 25 of all universities, public and private). And, yes, Dad's vision of 50,000 students has been fulfilled. I believe the school will continue to grow to 25,000 students on campus in spite of the new obstacles that have arisen since Dad's death but, if he were alive, he would be sporting a banner on his suburban that said "LU had 50,000 students!"

[jcmanson]

Thanks for your comments. I am glad we are over the 50k mark, and that should be commended. I never meant to be nitpicking, but I just thought some of the wording in the article could have been adjusted.

[Rooster Cogburn]

Thanks for the comments and the clarification sir. I think we can split hairs all we want, but the 57K + number is very impressive no matter how you choose to look at it. I agree that Doc would have been promoting this just as it was done today if he were still here.

LU is so much more than when I was a student, and has grown beyond anything I had imagined at the time. I am now considering getting my MBA throu LU online and think that program is amazing as well.

So, everyone just relax and enjoy the fact that your school or Alma Mater is growing and having a huge impact in this town and all over the world.

And Jr., how's your arm after the shot?

[JLFJR]

Rooster, the arm is a little sore but I sure do not need to come down with H1N1. Thank you for your comments about LU. God really is blessing the school. That is also great news about your MBA plans. Let me know what I can do to help. Jcmanson, thank you for your perspective. We have changed the headline on the www.liberty.edu article to clarify that it was the enrollment vision that was fulfilled. There are still many other challenges and goals facing us as we move toward the fulfillment of the complete vision for Liberty University!

[jcmanson]

Thank you sir

[Hold My Own]

Very clear and no gray area and I love the "There are still many other challenges and goals facing us as we move toward the fulfillment of the complete vision for Liberty University!"

We dont have the "Mission Accomplished" banner hanging behind us yet!

[jcmanson]

Very clear and no gray area and I love the "There are still many other challenges and goals facing us as we move toward the fulfillment of the complete vision for Liberty University!"

We dont have the "Mission Accomplished" banner hanging behind us yet!

agreed

I know I'm thankful for a Chancellor open and willing to come on a forum like this to discuss these issues.