Lindenwood is still making investments, according to Phelps, including employee pay raises in the coming budget.

But the university is also addressing areas that leaders hope will succeed in retention of current students and attracting new ones. That includes bringing in national dining and retail brands in campus facilities, such as Starbucks, Chick-fil-A and Barnes & Noble.

Those types of amenities are something prospective students expect, Parisi said.

Combining those attractions, new buildings during the last few years and casting a wider net for recruitment, he hopes to see higher enrollment numbers this fall.

Tuition at Lindenwood is about $16,000 a year for a commuter student, with total costs amounting to $25,400 for a student living on campus.

The sale of the Dardenne Prairie campus, while helpful, was not done in an attempt to fix budget woes from enrollment, Phelps said.

The idea, Parisi said, is to consolidate locations and focus on building a bigger presence in the St. Louis area.