Happy Days Are Here Again

Linda Rouillard, UT-AAUP Executive Board

Walt Olson, UT-AAUP Executive Board

It appears this is the theme song of the Jacobs Administration in light of the new student enrollment and retention numbers. In his statement in the UT News (http://utnews.utoledo.edu/index.php/2011/09/page/2), Tobin Klinger declares that "UT is reporting significant gains in its adult and transfer populations, as well as among international students."

Transfer student enrollment did grow by 4.7%. International student enrollment increased by an astounding 28%. What this means in incremental headcount numbers is 54 more transfer students and 48 more international students. We are happy to note this positive news, but how does this compare to the total UT loss of 475 in headcount and FTE loss of 543 students?

Larry Burns' interpretation of these events is: "We started down this pathway several years ago with the ultimate goal of converting our significant increases in enrollment into strategic growth among targeted populations. These figures are proof that we are not only achieving our goals, but have made significant gains in the right places." If these are the only two strategic categories targeted by UT enrollment goals, then the Jacobs Administration needs to have some broader goals.

We agree that a 2.5% increase in the graduation rate shows promise but the numbers for Continuing Students are down 368 or 3.06%. The Blade reported a first-year retention rate of 65.2% for this fall (barely up from last year's 64.5%), a significant drop from the UT 2008 retention rate of 69.7%, as listed in the UT Office of Institutional Research key performance indicators (available at http://oir.utoledo.edu/Trends/Sheet/Fall%202010.pdf).

FTE numbers show UT enrollment down by 2.75% or 543 students across campus in contrast to the headcount decrease by 2.06% or 475 students across campus. The difference in reporting FTE or headcount is even more dramatic in specific colleges. The headcount of the College of Adult and Lifelong Learning shows 29 fewer students this year, a 6.47% drop; but the calculation of FTE shows 88 fewer full-time students or a 27.24% drop. The numbers for the JHCOEHSHS are similarly disparate: a headcount drop of 16.49% (398 students) and an FTE drop of 6.65% or the equivalent of 72 fewer full-time students. The UT graduate programs are the most expensive in the state. Perhaps this is why we have a headcount of 189 fewer graduate, law, and medical students (a 3.81% headcount drop and a 4.75% drop in FTE).

Mr. Burns' ability to look on the bright side is impressive. But we are concerned about the total enrollment, both the numbers and the spin applied. By our conservative estimate the campus-wide decrease in FTE is a loss of nearly $4 million in 2011-2012 tuition revenue, assuming no further enrollment decreases next semester. The Jacobs Administration has plugged budget gaps with new and increased student fees even as they give away $1.5 million in salary increases and "adjustments" to a few administrators. How will they plug this $4 million hole and still award bonuses and hire more administrators?

Enrollments and retention are dropping at The University of Toledo while administrative salaries and bonuses are increasing. Governor Kasich and UT Board of Trustees, where are you?