Fall 2021 Enrollment numbers

[the_geneticist]

Our numbers for Fall look the same as usual.  But we've had a HUGE increase in STEM majors coupled with a HUGE increase in "not algebra ready" students.  That means that we are getting a lot of students not able to start their core classes in their major until their 2nd year.  Plus, we had a really high failure rate in Intro courses & getting a lot of repeaters. 
Add in pressure from upper admin to fund fewer TAs to teach the labs and it's going to be a bit of a mess for the next few years.

That's a bad combination. Our 6-year graduation rate for Engineering students who don't start in Calc I or higher is very poor. Almost none of them make it. It's even worse for those who don't start in algebra; none of them make it. The numbers in other STEM areas aren't much better.

If you have STEM-lite programs to catch those who fall, it helps with the academic unit's numbers. For example, our CS department plays "move the deck chairs," and also houses a UX/UI degree program, glorified web design programs, and a more management-based IT program to capture the CS dropouts. Our math programs have an analytics and stats program to keep math program dropouts in the math department, which helps with enrollment. Engineering needs something similar. As far as I know, they don't (at least at my uni).

Ah, that's one way to help with the "retention numbers".  We have so many students that failing a core class twice means you can't stay in the college & have to change majors (usually to humanities).  The problem is that they often fail a freshmen level class & I can't really imagine a STEM major that doesn't require passing one class of freshmen bio.  But I'm sure a very creative admin team could cobble something together.

[jimbogumbo]

Our numbers for Fall look the same as usual.  But we've had a HUGE increase in STEM majors coupled with a HUGE increase in "not algebra ready" students.  That means that we are getting a lot of students not able to start their core classes in their major until their 2nd year.  Plus, we had a really high failure rate in Intro courses & getting a lot of repeaters. 
Add in pressure from upper admin to fund fewer TAs to teach the labs and it's going to be a bit of a mess for the next few years.

That's a bad combination. Our 6-year graduation rate for Engineering students who don't start in Calc I or higher is very poor. Almost none of them make it. It's even worse for those who don't start in algebra; none of them make it. The numbers in other STEM areas aren't much better.

If you have STEM-lite programs to catch those who fall, it helps with the academic unit's numbers. For example, our CS department plays "move the deck chairs," and also houses a UX/UI degree program, glorified web design programs, and a more management-based IT program to capture the CS dropouts. Our math programs have an analytics and stats program to keep math program dropouts in the math department, which helps with enrollment. Engineering needs something similar. As far as I know, they don't (at least at my uni).

Ah, that's one way to help with the "retention numbers".  We have so many students that failing a core class twice means you can't stay in the college & have to change majors (usually to humanities).  The problem is that they often fail a freshmen level class & I can't really imagine a STEM major that doesn't require passing one class of freshmen bio.  But I'm sure a very creative admin team could cobble something together.

Virtually none of our STEM programs require freshman bio All the E's are Physics heavy, as is CHEM. The only ones that do are Bio, BioChem and Biomedical Physics. The Eng and Physics degrees require Calc 1-3, Linear and Diffeq, Chem requires Calc 1-3 plus Mechanics and Optics. All our math degrees (there are no lite options) require three science courses (two with labs). The Eng and Physics programs don't even have room for Bio.

[lightning]

Ugh. I failed to mention that our CS program captures a lot of the Engineering school dropouts.

[dr_codex]

This is a tangent (if you would), but I can see the relevance to overall enrollment. We ran our math placement tests last week, and it will be interesting to see if a lower admission rate correlates in any way to the level of student preparation.

To add to the anecdotes: we started requiring all new ENGR students be placed in Calc I, adding some recitations sections by way of support. They just never made it out, otherwise, for the reasons that you all have been providing.

Also, while we don't have a ENGR-lite options, we do have one program that can be seen as acting as one. It's caused problems, since under-qualified students try to hide out there, attempting to swap back into an ENGR program later. We just closed the door to registration in upper-division ENGR class by restricting them to majors & minors only.

I should note that most of our decisions were driven by the recognition that we were too lenient towards, and too optimistic about, students who should not have been allowed to remain in programs that they had almost no chance of completing.

[Parasaurolophus]

International enrollments are apparently down now (by 400), so at least one of my courses will be reassigned to someone with seniority whose class was cancelled. Sigh.

I'm not entirely surprised, however.

[Parasaurolophus]

Further course cancellations (from late last week) have resulted in talks about me taking parental leave in the fall, rather than later (as I'd planned) so that everyone can maintain their section numbers. But the admin is saying I have to decide by early next week, and my HR advisor goes on holiday after tomorrow, and I have a full day of other stuff planned tomorrow.

Sigh. This feels rather more stressful--and pressured--than I think it should.

[research_prof]

Further course cancellations (from late last week) have resulted in talks about me taking parental leave in the fall, rather than later (as I'd planned) so that everyone can maintain their section numbers. But the admin is saying I have to decide by early next week, and my HR advisor goes on holiday after tomorrow, and I have a full day of other stuff planned tomorrow.

Sigh. This feels rather more stressful--and pressured--than I think it should.

Why not just teaching 0 courses and focusing on your research? ;-)

[Parasaurolophus]

Further course cancellations (from late last week) have resulted in talks about me taking parental leave in the fall, rather than later (as I'd planned) so that everyone can maintain their section numbers. But the admin is saying I have to decide by early next week, and my HR advisor goes on holiday after tomorrow, and I have a full day of other stuff planned tomorrow.

Sigh. This feels rather more stressful--and pressured--than I think it should.

Why not just teaching 0 courses and focusing on your research? ;-)

As long as I'm being paid.

[Parasaurolophus]

Further course cancellations (from late last week) have resulted in talks about me taking parental leave in the fall, rather than later (as I'd planned) so that everyone can maintain their section numbers. But the admin is saying I have to decide by early next week, and my HR advisor goes on holiday after tomorrow, and I have a full day of other stuff planned tomorrow.

Sigh. This feels rather more stressful--and pressured--than I think it should.

Problems sorted out. (I, the department head, and the administrator involved all came upon it at the same time, which is both gratifying and frustrating, since of the three of us, I'm the least well-informed about the situation.)

I'd like to point out for the record, however, that it's not my classes being cancelled for under-enrollment. Mine are all at- or near-capacity. It's a senior colleague's, and his seniority means that when one of his is cancelled, he gets to (well: must. It's contractually required) poach a fresh course from someone lower-down (which, in this case, is everybody).

[dr_codex]

Update: A few weeks before we start, and we are now (only) down 7%. That's a lot, but so much better than our initial 25% that I can now breathe.

Good luck in the Fall, all.

[clean]

We had unclear enrollment news yesterday.  Year over year, our enrollment is flat... within a few head count difference. However, we were told that about 750 had been dropped for non payment since the numbers were printed.  I dont know how usual that is (I know we drop for non payment, but I dont know if 750 is a 'normal' number just 2 working days before classes start). 

Off the topic of numbers, but related, we did not get any raises last year. the president has stated that she will ask the regents for a merit pool, but that it will be very dependent on enrollment.  So I dont know if this 750 drop will mean that there is no chance of a raise.

Oh, we had a 5% budget cut already, and as biggest line items for a university budget are salaries and benefits.  So what does that mean for us?  Probably means not to expect a raise but be happy for any increase!  At this point, Not Getting a Cut in salary should be a raise!

[the_geneticist]

Our numbers for our Intro classes are odd.  We have WAY MORE students than expected in the 1st class in the series (which have to be in their 2nd year to be taking this class in Fall).  I'm guessing we're seeing the last of the stragglers of students who got behind in the pre-requisites during the pandemic + the huge group that had to repeat [basic baskets] due to rampant cheating*.  It's not quite as bonkers as last Spring where the students were coming out of the woodwork, but it's enough that we're adding sections.
But the numbers for the 2nd class in the series are way DOWN.  I guess the bottleneck was getting to/through the first class.

*I know our conduct folks are really hoping that we return to in-person exams.  The amount of cheating was exponentially higher.

[Hibush]

Further course cancellations (from late last week) have resulted in talks about me taking parental leave in the fall, rather than later (as I'd planned) so that everyone can maintain their section numbers. But the admin is saying I have to decide by early next week, and my HR advisor goes on holiday after tomorrow, and I have a full day of other stuff planned tomorrow.

Sigh. This feels rather more stressful--and pressured--than I think it should.

Problems sorted out. (I, the department head, and the administrator involved all came upon it at the same time, which is both gratifying and frustrating, since of the three of us, I'm the least well-informed about the situation.)

I'd like to point out for the record, however, that it's not my classes being cancelled for under-enrollment. Mine are all at- or near-capacity. It's a senior colleague's, and his seniority means that when one of his is cancelled, he gets to (well: must. It's contractually required) poach a fresh course from someone lower-down (which, in this case, is everybody).

That's not a rule that encourages excellent teaching! Whose rule is it?

[Parasaurolophus]

Further course cancellations (from late last week) have resulted in talks about me taking parental leave in the fall, rather than later (as I'd planned) so that everyone can maintain their section numbers. But the admin is saying I have to decide by early next week, and my HR advisor goes on holiday after tomorrow, and I have a full day of other stuff planned tomorrow.

Sigh. This feels rather more stressful--and pressured--than I think it should.

Problems sorted out. (I, the department head, and the administrator involved all came upon it at the same time, which is both gratifying and frustrating, since of the three of us, I'm the least well-informed about the situation.)

I'd like to point out for the record, however, that it's not my classes being cancelled for under-enrollment. Mine are all at- or near-capacity. It's a senior colleague's, and his seniority means that when one of his is cancelled, he gets to (well: must. It's contractually required) poach a fresh course from someone lower-down (which, in this case, is everybody).

That's not a rule that encourages excellent teaching! Whose rule is it?

The faculty union's. There's no tenure here, just the union system. And the regs are that senior faculty are loaded first, and up to their full load if at all possible. Anyone with less seniority has to suck it up.

What I worry about, of course, is that reassigning them might  lead to further cancellations. It probably won't,  but I bet that happens a lot.

[Puget]

Our numbers for our Intro classes are odd.  We have WAY MORE students than expected in the 1st class in the series (which have to be in their 2nd year to be taking this class in Fall).  I'm guessing we're seeing the last of the stragglers of students who got behind in the pre-requisites during the pandemic + the huge group that had to repeat [basic baskets] due to rampant cheating*.  It's not quite as bonkers as last Spring where the students were coming out of the woodwork, but it's enough that we're adding sections.
But the numbers for the 2nd class in the series are way DOWN.  I guess the bottleneck was getting to/through the first class.

*I know our conduct folks are really hoping that we return to in-person exams.  The amount of cheating was exponentially higher.

Our numbers seem a bit odd too, but in a different way. Intro is waitlisted, which is unusual (it has the highest cap of just about any class in the university), and all the classes with intro as a prereq seem to be down 10-20%. My guess is that fewer freshman took, or scored high enough, on the AP exam that can count for intro, so they are all now jamming into intro rather than filtering into the next level up classes. Which would mean we'll have a bumper crop of them in those classes this spring and next year. Should be interesting. . .