Enrollment Data Withheld

by Don Wedding, UT-AAUP Executive Board

As of the writing of this newsletter, the Jacobs Administration has not released student enrollment data for the Fall Semester 2011. Enrollment data was flowing to the colleges in early July, but then abruptly stopped. This data is with the Finance Office and has not been shared with the colleges. Some college administrators say that the enrollment is down especially for graduate students. One central administrator said that enrollments are down 1% and will be announced on September 15, 2011. This withholding of enrollment data lacks transparency and has created uncertainty. It raises questions as to whether the Jacobs Administration is playing with the data.

There are two methods for reporting enrollment - FTE (Full Time Equivalent) and head count. The State of Ohio subsidy is based on total FTE, not total head count. During past years, the Jacobs Administration has generally emphasized head count because it is more favorable than FTEs. Head count is often used by members of the UT Board of Trustees and the Toledo Blade. They may not know the difference.

The Fall 2011 graduate student enrollment has declined in some colleges because the Jacobs Administration held back graduate assistantships until August. In at least one college, this prompted some graduate students to go elsewhere. The Jacobs Administration has offered no explanation for withholding graduate student assistantships. Perhaps the funding was used to cover the $1.5 million in administrative pay increases as reported by Dr. Walt Olson in a recent UT-AAUP newsletter.

There is little or no transparency with the Jacobs Administration. Basic information such as enrollment data is withheld. Funds are regularly diverted from academics including the library without notice or explanation. It is not known whether this is administrative incompetence or administrative deception.