Enrollment numbers

[crusadermoe]

Yes, I agree. 
Much less concerned about the final number variances than website accuracy. As of right now (3pm Sunday) it says below,  "OF THE 602....94 ARE TRANSFER STUDENTS.


"Welcome, class of 2027, to the Valparaiso University family," said University President José D. Padilla, J.D. at this year's Convocation ceremony.....etc..........."

.......Of the 602 students joining the campus community, 94 are coming in as transfer students, and the University....etc.....

[vu84v2]

If the final number is 602 new students including 94 incoming transfer students, that is VERY bad performance (and keep in mind that incoming transfer students is not net transfer students).

[VUSupport]

I just don't understand how the VP of Enrollment tells Valpopal wrong info of 602 new freshmen and over 100 transfers. Just own up to your numbers, don't need to shy away from not hitting your goals. It's been on that downward trend for years.

[valpopal]

I just don't understand how the VP of Enrollment tells Valpopal wrong info of 602 new freshmen and over 100 transfers. Just own up to your numbers, don't need to shy away from not hitting your goals. It's been on that downward trend for years.

Those numbers are not wrong. There are about 600 freshmen and 100 transfers, give or take a few depending on drop/add in the next two weeks. A rough breakdown of new students follows:

CAS 290
COB  94
COE 126
NHP 183

As I said last week:

Before anyone panics, I'm pretty sure this was a misspoken moment and the 600 number just applies to freshmen (not freshmen and transfers), there are additionally more than one hundred transfers as well as more than 200 grad students.

[vu84v2]

valpopal - I certainly hope you are right.

[VUSupport]

This leads back to my previous statement on folks needing to be on the same page. The troubling fact remains that the VP of Enrollment and Marketing has two numbers floating out there. And why on the official VU Facebook page (which the Enrollment & Marketing runs) have something different? If it's wrong, you'd think someone would change it.

[VULB#62]

This leads back to my previous statement on folks needing to be on the same page. The troubling fact remains that the VP of Enrollment and Marketing has two numbers floating out there. And why on the official VU Facebook page (which the Enrollment & Marketing runs) have something different? If it's wrong, you'd think someone would change it.

^^^This. 

And it's just a human error. Creditable news sources correct incorrect info all the time.  Correction is not an issue; the failure to correct is.

[crusadermoe]

That's nice to be empathetic and caring. 

It's just odd to see wide variances in numbers and see odd terminology like "influx" in print when enrollment data is such a sensitive issue. 




   

[vu72]

There is a picture posted on Facebook of the "new international students". Easily over 200.

[crusadermoe]

July 31, 2023 Bradley U. News Release. Enrollment is just a brutal competition in the midwest. Moody's cited similar budget % at VU.

"Bradley University president Stephen Standifird says the institution needs to permanently cut costs by 10% to reduce its budget deficits. The university ran a $13 million budget shortfall in fiscal year 2023. Standifird said that's about 10% of the university's total operating budget.

Forty positions will be cut immediately. Thirty of those are currently unfilled. Standifird said administrative roles, faculty, staff, and academic departments will be impacted "by these and additional reductions." The affected employees will be offered outplacement services, Standifird said in an email to staff and faculty.

"We had hoped this would not be necessary, as I indicated when I first arrived at Bradley; however, due to our ongoing structural deficit, it is an unfortunate reality," Standifird said.

This isn't the first time Bradley University has weighed significant cuts to balance out its finances. The university had similar discussions back in 2019 when it faced an $8 million deficit.

In a news release, the university said the discussions come amid lower-than-expected enrollment numbers, changes in the economic climate, and increasing operational costs. The university said those problems aren't unique to Bradley, but are being seen across the country.

[valpopal]

I have seen confirmation of the current enrollment numbers, and as I previously reported, the freshmen number is slightly over 600 and the transfer number is a little over 100, plus the graduate number is over 200. The exact totals will likely waver a handful here or there this week. The drop/add period for students ends Wednesday (8/30). (Let's hope no homesick freshmen plan to return home over Labor Day weekend.) The first faculty meeting is next Thursday (9/7). I would expect final enrollment numbers to be released between Labor Day and the faculty meeting (either 9/5, 9/6, or 9/7).

[vu84v2]

I have seen confirmation of the current enrollment numbers, and as I previously reported, the freshmen number is slightly over 600 and the transfer number is a little over 100, plus the graduate number is over 200. The exact totals will likely waver a handful here or there this week. The drop/add period for students ends Wednesday (8/30). (Let's hope no homesick freshmen plan to return home over Labor Day weekend.) The first faculty meeting is next Thursday (9/7). I would expect final enrollment numbers to be released between Labor Day and the faculty meeting (either 9/5, 9/6, or 9/7).

valpopal - Thanks. Do you know the net transfer number (incoming transfer students minus outgoing)? That is another big part of the story.

[valpopal]

I have seen confirmation of the current enrollment numbers, and as I previously reported, the freshmen number is slightly over 600 and the transfer number is a little over 100, plus the graduate number is over 200. The exact totals will likely waver a handful here or there this week. The drop/add period for students ends Wednesday (8/30). (Let's hope no homesick freshmen plan to return home over Labor Day weekend.) The first faculty meeting is next Thursday (9/7). I would expect final enrollment numbers to be released between Labor Day and the faculty meeting (either 9/5, 9/6, or 9/7).

valpopal - Thanks. Do you know the net transfer number (incoming transfer students minus outgoing)? That is another big part of the story.

My two sources of information are reliable in the area of admissions. Unfortunately, they did not have any outgoing numbers.

[VUSupport]

Final reporting numbers (Census) is after week 3

[valpopal]

Final reporting numbers (Census) is after week 3

Not really: I am told Census Day this semester is 9/5.

[David81]

July 31, 2023 Bradley U. News Release. Enrollment is just a brutal competition in the midwest. Moody's cited similar budget % at VU.

"Bradley University president Stephen Standifird says the institution needs to permanently cut costs by 10% to reduce its budget deficits. The university ran a $13 million budget shortfall in fiscal year 2023. Standifird said that's about 10% of the university's total operating budget.

Forty positions will be cut immediately. Thirty of those are currently unfilled. Standifird said administrative roles, faculty, staff, and academic departments will be impacted "by these and additional reductions." The affected employees will be offered outplacement services, Standifird said in an email to staff and faculty.

"We had hoped this would not be necessary, as I indicated when I first arrived at Bradley; however, due to our ongoing structural deficit, it is an unfortunate reality," Standifird said.

This isn't the first time Bradley University has weighed significant cuts to balance out its finances. The university had similar discussions back in 2019 when it faced an $8 million deficit.

In a news release, the university said the discussions come amid lower-than-expected enrollment numbers, changes in the economic climate, and increasing operational costs. The university said those problems aren't unique to Bradley, but are being seen across the country.

Dang, that is not good. They're right about the problem being nationwide, and it's hitting these "comprehensive" category, regional, private universities that have a long track record of providing a quality education and opening doors to students who show up and do well.

So many of us here can attest to the value of this type of university and the ability of these schools to help folks take a step up the ladder, so to speak. It's a model worth fighting to preserve as a viable option.

[VUSupport]

From the US Department of Education:

2023 Census Dates

September 7, 2023: Census Day for Fall 2023

September 8, 2023: Capture of Degrees Conferred and End of Term Data Capture for Summer 2023

[valpopal]

From the US Department of Education:

2023 Census Dates

September 7, 2023: Census Day for Fall 2023

September 8, 2023: Capture of Degrees Conferred and End of Term Data Capture for Summer 2023

Universities set their own census dates. I have confirmed that it is 9/5 for Valparaiso this semester.

[VUSupport]

Confirmed by the Registrar that's when they report it to the DOE and HLC

[valpopal]

Confirmed by the Registrar that's when they report it to the DOE and HLC

I have confirmed at the highest level that VU will conduct its census on 9/5 no matter what date they report results to the DOE. As I said in a previous post, I am uncertain when exactly the data will be released: "I would expect final enrollment numbers to be released between Labor Day and the faculty meeting (either 9/5, 9/6, or 9/7)."

[VUSupport]

The official headcount and final numbers comes from the Registrars Office.

[valpopal]

The official headcount and final numbers comes from the Registrars Office.

Agreed.

[valpotx]

So we are a total student population of 2,500 now?

[valpopal]

So we are a total student population of 2,500 now?

The published total enrollment numbers for 2022-2023 were 2355 undergrads and 609 grads (2964 total). The undergraduate new student head count for Fall 2022 (freshmen and transfers) was 737. The numbers this semester likely will be a bit lower than that, as will the grad student numbers. Obviously, the overall total of students this year will depend on amount of attrition from last year. That gives you a student total near 2900 and an fte closer to 2500 than 2900.

However, in its strategic plan outlook (maybe optimistic), Valpo is looking to increase the incoming undergrad population in the next 3-5 years to its 2019-2020 (last year before covid and first year with no law school students) new student number of 800 freshmen and transfers. That number was actually 790 in 2020-21, the first year partially impacted by covid, so an increase of only 10 over that would get Valpo to 800, though I think getting back to 790 would be considered a great success and 750-775 could be acceptable, especially if grad numbers also increase. In general, the university target is a 3000 fte student enrollment in five years, as Pres. Padilla has publicly stated. The estimated numbers would include about 800 new undergraduate students each fall (freshmen and transfers). Overall graduate numbers could be about 300-500 to reach the fte goal.   

[David81]

So we are a total student population of 2,500 now?

The published total enrollment numbers for 2022-2023 were 2355 undergrads and 609 grads (2964 total). The undergraduate new student head count for Fall 2022 (freshmen and transfers) was 737. The numbers this semester likely will be a bit lower than that, as will the grad student numbers. Obviously, the overall total of students this year will depend on amount of attrition from last year. That gives you a student total near 2900 and an fte closer to 2500 than 2900.

However, in its strategic plan outlook (maybe optimistic), Valpo is looking to increase the incoming undergrad population in the next 3-5 years to its 2019-2020 (last year before covid and first year with no law school students) new student number of 800 freshmen and transfers. That number was actually 790 in 2020-21, the first year partially impacted by covid, so an increase of only 10 over that would get Valpo to 800, though I think getting back to 790 would be considered a great success and 750-775 could be acceptable, especially if grad numbers also increase. In general, the university target is a 3000 fte student enrollment in five years, as Pres. Padilla has publicly stated. The estimated numbers would include about 800 new undergraduate students each fall (freshmen and transfers). Overall graduate numbers could be about 300-500 to reach the fte goal.   

Thank you for that summary, valpopal.

Those enrollment targets sound sensible and realistic. I hope they reflect budget projections assuming that the bloodletting is in the rearview mirror. After all, stability is a blessed yet highly underrated quality in the aftermath of layoffs, program closures, and budget cuts.