The budget problems at the college were the main focus in president Peter Mitchell’s State of the College address on Feb. 5.

In his last State address to Albion students, Mitchell cited the rising cost of energy, depreciations for the new buildings on campus and rapidly increasing financial aid awards as the cause of the budget problems.

“We need to learn to live within our means,” Mitchell said.

Aggressive budget cuts were made this year, according to Mitchell, to prevent sizable tuition increases.

“The cuts for next year… total about $1 million, or 2% of the budget,” Mitchell said.

Questions about the current retention rate, admission standards, class sizes and Albion’s social reputation dominated the question-and-answer portion of the address. Mitchell told students that the current retention rate is very high, with the class of 2009 having the highest at 88 percent. He also said that the college is working to stabilize enrollment rates at approximately 1,950 students to optimize class sizes.

In response to questions about the college’s social atmosphere, Mitchell claimed that Albion was once much more party-orientated, and that the college has gone as far from that atmosphere as it should.