Des Moines, Iowa — The Board of Regents got a detailed look Thursday at the numbers behind what has been a five-year decline in enrollment at the three state universities. Analyst Jason Pontius, says they’ve looked at a lot of numbers.
He says that does raise a concern looking ahead.
There’s been a concern that a drop in births will catch up to states for high school and college enrollment –but he says Iowa shouldn’t see as big an impact as other states.
Pontius says another question is whether more Iowa grads are going to college in other states.
He says there was one exception to the out-of-state loss of students.
Pontius says the three schools have also lost some foreign students. He says recent small sophomore and junior classes also contributed to the decline in enrollment. But, he says all three schools saw an increase in first-year students this fall and that is a good sign.
Iowa State’s overall enrollment dropped three-point-five percent this fall, the University of Northern Iowa saw a three-point-one percent drop, and the University of Iowa’s fall enrollment fell one-point-three percent.
