Summer programs run through the Office of Continuing Education brought in around $4 million for the University this summer, up from $2.9 million in summer 2010.
Over the past five years, the amount of revenue taken in by the University from summer programs has more than doubled, said Laurie Ward, director of finance and administration for continuing education. In summer 2007, the University received $1.95 million from the Office of Continuing Education's summer programs.
Top administrators have been looking to identify additional revenue streams as part of an effort to close the budget gap brought on by the 2008 financial downturn. Expanded offerings in continuing education represent a key part of this plan.
"Our goal is to provide high-quality, top-notch educational experiences," said Robin Rose, senior associate dean for continuing education. "An additional objective is to be able to generate additional revenue for the University."
Revenue from summer programs is divided between the Office of Continuing Education, which manages various pre-college education programs, including Summer@Brown, and the University, Ward said. The University as a whole gets a greater share of the revenue than the Office of Continuing Education, Ward said.
The proportion of funds given to the University has not altered in recent years, Ward said. The steady increase in revenue allocated to the University simply reflects the growth of the programs.
"We certainly work on trying to increase our number of students," Ward said. "We have been successful in growing the programs each summer."
This past year, the University welcomed around 3,300 high school students for its Summer@Brown program, which allows high school students to live on campus and take classes.
The summer programs have been "enormously successful" and "beneficial for the students and for the University," said Beppie Huidekoper, executive vice president for finance and administration. "Revenue has increased significantly over time."
Despite concerns, the economic climate of the past few years has not diminished the growth of the University's summer offerings, Ward said.
"Given the economic circumstances, we weren't sure if we would be able to sustain the level of enrollment," she said. But "we have been exceeding our targets."
Beyond its current summer programs, the Office of Continuing Education plans to continue expanding its offerings to serve different populations and open new revenue streams for the University, according to Ward. She cited educational opportunities for adults as a potential area for expansion.
"We always look at other revenue streams without wanting to interfere with anything already happening at the University," Ward said.
The University has reported plans to launch professional master's degree programs, with instruction primarily taking place online, in 2012.
