Northwest Ohio's higher education institutions posted marginal spring semester enrollment gains or declines while Owens Community College gained students for the first time in a decade, according to recently released numbers.
University of Toledo's spring enrollment declined to 18,804 from 19,236, a 2.2 percent drop.
While the total numbers were down, the university claimed a victory in retaining students. UT officials said 90.5 percent of students who enrolled in the fall returned in the spring semester.
“The university’s increased focus on supporting student success is already having a tangible result in increased student retention, and we expect to see those efforts reflected in future graduation rates,” said Jim Anderson, UT’s new vice president for enrollment management. “Our efforts now are targeted at how do we best build on that success as we look to grow enrollment next year and into the future.”
Bowling Green State University's enrollment remained relatively stable with an increase of 1.7 percent. Its spring enrollment of 18,776 students is 307 more than spring of 2018.
Owens' enrollment saw its first uptick for the first time in the last decade. Its spring headcount was 8,712 compared to 8,458 last year.
Early semester reporting numbers aren't always the best reflection of a community college’s total enrollment, because more students start or complete degrees midyear. And students continue to enroll in Owens well past the day the colleges’ enrollment figures are reported to the state.
For the past few years, Owens' officials have made clear that they don't consider enrollment a benchmark for a school's success. But Amy Giordano, vice president of enrollment management and student services, said she is hopeful the small enrollment boost is a good sign for the college.
"I guess this means we are hitting our enrollment targets and we are shrinking less," she said.
"It's a good trend that we're heading in the direction."
Private Lourdes University in Sylvania experienced a small increase in enrollment. Total enrollment was 1,271 this spring semester, compared to 1,259 students last year.
Mercy College of Ohio’s spring enrollment was 1,322 students, only six fewer than last year.
First Published February 26, 2019, 7:20 p.m.
