Cal U reports increase in enrollment

By Deb Erdley

Trib Total Media

Early enrollment numbers from two local public universities suggest the global pandemic is yielding a silver lining where graduate school enrollment is concerned.

Officials at California and Slippery Rock universities said total enrollment at both schools is up slightly this fall, thanks to a bump in those opting to pursue graduate degrees.

It’s unclear whether this trend will hold true across the region since most universities have yet to file their official fall enrollment numbers. Enrollment numbers from the 15th day of classes are considered official and must be filed annually with the U.S. Department of Education.

College and university admissions officers have been tracking numbers anxiously, fearing projections that suggested enrollment would slip this fall in the face of continuing restrictions.

The fall enrollment numbers at the two Western Pennsylvania schools are in line with trends the National Student Clearing House, which tracks enrollment across the country, saw during the summer semester when largely flat undergraduate enrollment was offset by a spike in graduate enrollments.

“The result was a 0.2% increase in total enrollment, up from a 0.4% decrease last summer,” said Clearinghouse spokesman Todd Sedmak.

Carnegie Mellon University economist Robert Strauss said enrollment in graduate programs such as business then to trend up when the economy is weak and students facing a constrained job market tend to seek higher education.

The new numbers came as good news at Cal and Slippery Rock that are competing for a shrinking pool of new high school graduates at the undergraduate level as they work to continue classes largely online this fall.

At Cal, where enrollment has declined by 27% over the last decade, officials reported a 0.63% increase in enrollment. Graduate students grew by 5.7%, offsetting a modest drop of 1.4% in the undergraduate headcount.

“Our staff and faculty have worked incredibly hard to demonstrate that Cal U can offer a high-quality educational experience even in times of unprecedented change,” said Daniel Engstrom, interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

Slippery Rock, where enrollment has held steady over the last decade, counted 8,876 students this fall, or a 0.8% increase over last fall.

A 9% increase in graduate student enrollment to a university record of 1,461 graduate students, offset a loss of 53 students at the undergraduate level.