Additionally, technical and two-year colleges have experienced a drop in enrollment. Kerry Fine, the legislative analyst who completed the report, said the decrease might be due to tuition increases or a strong economy. Another reason, particularly for MnSCU, is that recruitment efforts have fallen by the wayside as the schools concentrate on maintaining employees' salaries following a massive shift in the organization's administration. We need to make schools more attractive and not downplay career planning in K through 12. However, the change will not be dramatic.
Fewer students equates fewer dollars.
That is just an automatic adjustment. The enrollment at the University experienced a decline beginning in 1986 as part of a planned effort. Former University President Ken Keller's Commitment to Focus initiative included lowering enrollment rates to coincide with a smaller number of graduating seniors to maintain a balanced graduate and undergraduate population. The University's enrollment of new high school graduates dropped by 1.5 percent between 1987 and 1996 while state universities' enrollment rates declined by 5 percent. When it is easy to find jobs, people might think to put school off.