Fall 2020 Enrollment Update: The list of challenges admissions officers have experienced in recruiting the fall 2020 incoming class is extensive: a downward trend in high school graduates, closure of K-12 classrooms, cancellations of ACT and SAT tests, difficulty in acquiring high school transcripts, and non- stop policy changes and temporary processes and procedures implemented across the K-12 and higher education sectors, to name a few. Despite these challenges, many of our first-year-student key performance indicators are healthy. We are experiencing an increase in application and admitted-student pools over last year. However, our confirmed student pool is 14 percent lower than the same time last year (2,171 vs 2,532). Factors may include the cancellation of both of our “Wildcat Days,” action- and information-packed events that typically drive confirmations. Another factor is the extension by many schools of the May 1, National College Decisions Day to June 1 or beyond. Finally, early survey data suggest high school seniors are rethinking not only their first-choice college, but their decision to attend college at all in the fall. In addition, the community colleges continue to experience a decline in enrollment. This translates directly to our incoming transfer student cohort. Although we are experiencing a 3 percent increase in transfer applications over prior year, our admitted and committed transfer student pool is down 14 percent and 21 percent, respectively. Although we have initiated a variety of new recruitment strategies and activities for both freshman and transfer students, it is likely we will fall shy of our fall 2020 new student goal. If fall 2020 term is online classes only, we will likely fall significantly short of our new student goal. There are many new variables this year in the equation to project fall enrollment. National studies are suggesting colleges and universities should embrace for a 20-percent decline in overall enrollment this fall. Currently, our data suggest CWU will likely see a reduction in overall enrollment. It is reasonable to expect a 5 percent-12 percent reduction in overall enrollment in fall. I am confident that many of our new initiatives and campaigns will make a positive difference and help mitigate significant enrollment reductions due to COVID-19.
Submitted by:
Approved for submittal to the Board:
James L. Gaudino President
Josh Hibbard, PhD Vice President for Enrollment Management
Made with FlippingBook Publishing Software