Illuminating Innovations: Advancing Enrollment at California State University. Executive Summary

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21

State Universities; College Enrollment; Enrollment Management; Undergraduate Students; COVID-19; Pandemics; Barriers; African American Students; Hispanic American Students; Alignment (Education); Equal Education; Organizational Objectives

In March of 2020, the global pandemic changed nearly every aspect of daily life around the world. Colleges and universities were forced to close their physical facilities and deliver both instruction and support services online, and higher education enrollment across the country declined. In the California State University (CSU) system, following several years of rising enrollment, the number of undergraduates peaked in 2020 at 432,264 students. Enrollment then declined by about 10,000 students from fall 2020 to fall 2021, with a further decline of over 17,000 students in fall 2022, resulting in the CSU's lowest total since 2014 at 404,820. Overall, the CSU has suffered a 6.5% decline from the system's pre-pandemic total. This report summarizes data on recent changes in undergraduate enrollment in the CSU. The report finds significant, but varying, enrollment challenges across campuses and student groups. The authors explore the response to enrollment challenges at campuses that have fared better in undergraduate enrollment levels over the last few years, particularly for Latinx and Black student populations, finding that their efforts to maintain and grow their enrollment align with the CSU system's priorities under Graduation Initiative 2025 (GI 2025). The report concludes by offering several recommendations to improve state and system policies to support undergraduate enrollment and maintain the benefits to the state of higher educational attainment.

ERIC

2024

ED656499