Enrollment declines at California University
California University of Pennsylvania President Geraldine M. Jones addresses the faculty-staff convocation Thursday.
A slide used in the convocation speech Thursday by California University President Geraldine M. Jones shows the fallout of declining enrollment.
CALIFORNIA – Facing a loss of $2.1 million in revenue from a decrease in enrollment for the fall semester, California University administrators are refocusing efforts to increase recruitment and restructure the school’s academic programs.
University President Geraldine Jones gave a cautious but optimistic convocation speech to faculty and staff Thursday as she outlined a 3 percent decline in enrollment, resulting in 233 fewer undergraduate students and 11 fewer graduate students.
“Uncertainty makes us respond to challenges with new solutions. … The challenge of decreasing enrollment against rising tuition costs has us responding with a strategic enrollment planning initiative,” Jones said.
Annual undergraduate tuition plus fees for in-state students sits at $8,544.
Part of the plan, Jones said, was tasking Dean of Admissions Dr. Tracey Sheetz to develop data-driven methods to determine the best ways of recruiting students and extending more partnerships to other colleges and professional schools to encourage transfers to California. Jones also said scholarships would be restructured to award them in a way that encourages students to stay at the school throughout their college careers. California University reported a retention rate of 77 percent. Jones highlighted factors in high school may be contributing to disinterest, as 6 percent fewer students took the SAT exam the past year.
“We can’t assume students will fill our classrooms if we sit and wait. We must be vigilant and address changes,” Jones said.
Those changes include offering new professional certifications launching this fall. Applied Criminology and Advanced Addiction Counseling are part of the “stackable graduate certificates” offered, as well as two new graduate-level professional concentrations in Strategic Sport Analysis and Business Analytics.
“Majors that no longer attract students must give way to programs that will prepare students for new and emerging careers,” Jones said.
A looming 2016 budget deficit of $6 million further adds to uncertainties about the school’s direction and cost-cutting measures.
“In order to bring our budget into balance, we will be looking at every aspect of the university, including personnel costs, services, supplies and contracts, and internal capital projects,” said university spokeswoman Christine Kindl.
The education budget had a surplus of $4.4 million last year thanks to a one-time shot in the arm of $5.5 million from the acquisition of on-campus housing, but Jones said stimulus revenue like that won’t be likely in the future.
“We have to have a balanced budget by year’s end. We can’t end with a deficit, so we know we need to address spending plans and costs,” said Kindl, adding until faculty union negotiations are settled and total enrollment through spring is tallied, potential cost-cutting measures won’t be known.