The ratio that fits The University of Tulsa is what we should be discussing not peer institutions. Steve Steib asked about factors that affect the size of the student body. The Provost responded that we have a relatively stable entering class. Enrollment is continuing to drop because of transfer student declines. This won't continue much longer because we are basically running out of a transfer student pool.
Retention is a major factor.
As we improve our retention rate, our enrollment can change dramatically. However, we need to retain all of these through graduation. Lars Engle asked about how many faculty will be retiring in the next three years. The Provost responded that the administration talked to most faculty aged 55 and up, about their retirement plans. There was not much enthusiasm for the early retirement initiative.