La Salle University is on a mission to attract more students and improve student life on campus as the university has seen a decline in student enrollment in recent years, writes Susan Snyder for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

Its plan includes bringing back its baseball program and adding several new women’s sports, including rugby, triathlon, acrobatics, and tumbling. 

The university also plans to launch a student band and expand its dance and cheer programs, moving to full-time directors.

La Salle anticipates that the moves and growth in current rosters will help bring 40 new students to the university in the fall and an additional 185 over the next couple of years.

The idea is to use its unused instruments, engage existing students who are musically talented, and recruit new students who want to come to La Salle and play with the band.

La Salle President Daniel J. Allen emphasized the need to bring back a vibrant campus life experience, which took a hit during the pandemic. 

“We have to bring that back,” he said. 

Other plans include changing the administrative leadership within its academic structure and merging some departments.

Allen said the university will pay for the new programs and changes with donor funds and borrowed money.

Read more about La Salle’s plans to better the university at The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on PHILADELPHIA Today in May 2024.