CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – Pennsylvania Western University–formed in 2022 by the merger of Clarion University, Edinboro University, and California University–continues to struggle as new enrollments fall.
(PHOTO: Students on the PennWest Clarion campus on Friday, October 13, 2023. Photo by Dave Cyphert of ProPoint Media Photography.)
According to data released this week by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), seven out of the 10 universities within the system experienced an increase in their first-time student populations between 2022 and 2023, while half of the universities observed overall enrollment gains.
PennWest, however, has seen a 20.5% decrease in new enrollments of degree-seeking and certificate-seeking students between 2022 and 2023. Since 2014, the collective loss in new enrollments is down 45%.
Millersville and Kutztown also saw decreases in new student enrollment.
Despite plunging enrollment numbers, Dr. Sarah Freed, interim vice president for Strategic Enrollment Management at PennWest, says the university is on “a path to enrollment stability and fiscal sustainability.”
The university, operating in its second year, saw around a 3% increase in full-time-equivalent (FTE) enrollment from the target that was set for Fall 2023.
“To be ahead of target for the number of FTE students – a number that universities use in budgeting – at this time is very positive and is essential to our goal of financial sustainability as an integrated university,” said Dr. Freed. “Given the continued pressures facing higher education institutions and recognizing enrollment losses over the last decade, we strategically set our enrollment target for Fall 2023.”
Dr. Lorraine Bernotsky, interim president of PennWest, addressed the overall decline in headcount, which is about 11.5%.
“We are pleased with an increased retention rate from first-year students to sophomores,” said Dr. Bernotsky. “It’s a positive indicator, a reflection that we are offering that first class of PennWest students the courses, academic support, and robust student life experiences they are looking for.”
While the cumulative data clearly shows a steep decline in enrollment, determining the number of full-time students who are actually on each campus remains cloudy.
ExploreJeffersonPA.com reached out to the PASSHE and PennWest and asked for enrollment numbers for each of the three campuses.
“We do not report data by campus. PennWest is one university, with one academic program array,” said Wendy Mackall, Executive Director of the Office of Communications at PennWest.
When questioned by exploreJeffersonPA.com> as to whether or not the university tracks this data, Mackall confirmed that it is tracked but said a “new methodology” is being used, making comparisons to previous campus-specific enrollment data “invalid.”
ExploreJeffersonPA.com has submitted a Right-to-Know Law Request for campus-specific data and exactly how it is formulated.
While PennWest continues to struggle to find the right formula to attract new students, seven of the 10 PASSHE universities increased first-time undergraduate degree or certificate-seeking enrollment between 2022 and 2023.
East Stroudsburg saw 21.1% growth, while Cheyney grew about 15.2%, and Indiana at 15%. In addition, Commonwealth saw an increase of 11.8%, followed by Slippery Rock at 5.3%, West Chester at 2.7%, and Shippensburg at 1.6%.
“The needs of students and the state are changing, and State System universities are continuing to evolve to best serve learners, employers, and Pennsylvania’s economy,” said PASSHE Chancellor Dan Greenstein.
According to the PASSHE, State System universities are the largest provider of four-year higher education for Pennsylvania residents. Eighty-eight percent of the 82,688 State System university students are from Pennsylvania.
“Our mission is to provide a high-quality education that prepares students for in-demand jobs at the lowest possible price, and I commend the faculty, staff, and university leaders for their dedication to students and the future of Pennsylvania.”
This is Part One in a series of articles focusing on enrollment at PennWest.
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