Retention, community college transfers highlight Pa. state system's enrollment increase

Fall enrollment at the 10 universities that make up the state system of higher education increased for the first time in more than a decade, with the biggest gains coming from retention and community college transfers, according to data released Tuesday.

Enrollment in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is about 83,000, which is a 0.6% increase from last school year.

Schools in the state system include Slippery Rock, Indiana, Shippensburg, Millersville, East Stroudsburg, West Chester, Cheyney and Kutztown. It also includes Pennsylvania Western — California, Clarion and Edinboro — and Commonwealth, which includes Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield.

Seven of those schools reported enrollment gains this fall, led by Cheyney’s 38% increase, according to PASSHE.

In Western Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock’s enrollment increased 2.75%, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania maintained stable overall enrollment, with an 8% increase in new students.

PennWest’s enrollment decreased 2.46% from last school year.

IUP, Slippery Rock, Cheyney and Kutztown set all-time retention records, said Kevin Hensil, PASSHE spokesman.

The retention rate measures the percentage of students who return for their second year. Systemwide, that hit 81%, according to PASSHE.

“Universities are improving retention with several different strategies, including data-driven approaches to identify students at risk and provide academic support to help them succeed in the classroom and stay on track to graduate,” Hensil said.

“As an example, IUP has navigators: staff who help students with academic needs, personal challenges and navigating university systems.”

Students transferring from a Pennsylvania community college to a state university increased by 14.3%, according to PASSHE. Systemwide, Hensil said, 95% of community college credits are accepted by PASSHE universities.

PASSHE universities also guarantee admission to community college transfer students with an associate’s degree. They also offer a “reverse transfer,” which lets a community college transfer student enroll at a PASSHE university, gain PASSHE credits and then transfer those credits back to a community college to earn an associate degree.

Next fall, colleges nationwide are anticipating an enrollment cliff due to declining birth rates — experts say the number of high school graduates in Pennsylvania is anticipated to drop 17% by 2041.

Hensil said PASSHE is proactively addressing that significant drop by focusing on affordability, offering relevant academic programming and efficiency.

The state system, for the first time in seven years, increased tuition for in-state students by $139 per semester to $3,997; with full-year tuition increasing to $7,994.

Hensil said PASSHE doubled university-funded financial aid, which exceeds $140 million annually, as well as growing emergency aid programs for students with financial hardships to stay on track to graduate.

Hensil said universities coordinate with area employers to align programming to workforce demands.

“Students are responding — our most enrolled programs are in business, education and health care, all fields facing worker shortages in Pennsylvania,” Hensil said.

Hensil said PASSHE is pursuing a course-sharing program for students to take a class, either online or simultaneously across multiple campuses by a single professor, from other state universities without leaving their home campus.

“The model could be most beneficial for specialized courses or for students on rural campuses,” Hensil said.

Officials said 89% of state system of higher education students are from Pennsylvania.