Todays Tribune brings news of YSU's declining enrollment. Cold sobering facts. Truth( although the cheerleaders here avoid it to live in fantasy worlds). YSU Fall enrollment numbers have been --
2010-- 15194
2011-- 14541
2012-- 13813
2013-- 13381
2014-- 12551
In addition, the Spring enrollment numbers are in decline as well. Spring 2014 was 12801 and Spring 2015 is announced as 12321. YSU has hired a recruitment service, spending $300,000 to try to reverse the trend. Tressel has visited 25 area H.S. attempting to lure students in. YSU has started splitting schollies up , offering aid to more students. YSU is in full panic mode because CUTS are next.
Yet, these problems remain -- as I discussed previously, college is viewed negatively by many for their expensive costs and few jobs available at graduation. YSU remains a commuter school and , fair or not, viewed as a substandard college compared to traditional colleges. YSU remains a second or third choice for area students who view Ohio St. or a regional school ( Kent, O.U., BG or Miami ) as preferable.
YSU views the applications being up as a sign that things will turn around while the truth is many simply use YSU as a fallback from their top choices with multiple applications and the ongoing "recruitment " push. The reality will arrive this Fall when numbers are in. Chances are fair that numbers might be up slightly but could also be down and in the scheme of things, YSU has lost a huge block of enrollment that can't be made up. The numbers crunchers are already studying areas for cuts. Bowling may not seem like much but could it be a REPLACEMENT for a more expensive sport currently in operation ? Replace one with another and save $$$$$$$$$$$$ ? The story isn't over yet. Look for lots of changes ahead, especially as FB and MBB fail to deliver big crowds. We are only at the beginning folks.