Not good news

[Alan1]

Portland State University enacts hiring freeze amid falling enrollment: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-state-university-hiring-freeze-tuition-international-students/283-25ccaba6-c4d0-42f0-bf75-8679014ca215

 

[Alan1]

Despite $30 million in one-time state funding, PSU still in dire straits: https://psuvanguard.com/despite-30-million-in-one-time-state-funding-psu-still-in-dire-straits/

 

[DavidKeys]

Western Oregon is as bad if not worse. Solution: CLOSE Western Oregon and transfer ALL of its programs to PSU: https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/education/2020/11/23/western-oregon-university-cut-staff-programs-2021-budget/6341773002/

 

[bigskyconf]

Despite $30 million in one-time state funding, PSU still in dire straits: https://psuvanguard.com/despite-30-million-in-one-time-state-funding-psu-still-in-dire-straits/

Its not just a PSU issue. It is an issue with many of the small colleges and universities. Montana saw a 4.5% decrease in enrollment due to the virus (and 32% decrease since 2012).

https://missoulian.com/news/local/university-of-montana-sees-4-5-decrease-in-enrollment-retention-up/article_bed5f538-4dee-51f5-82fc-4d04565ede25.html

A previous article mentioned that the University of Idaho had the second highest enrollment decrease in the same period (Alaska-Fairbanks had the highest decrease).

I know one talks revenue and one talks enrollment but less students does correlate to less money coming in.

 

[Pounder]

When Concordia closed, one of the coverage angles taken by local media was that the nationwide school age population, measured by the number of people preparing to graduate from high school, is forecast to shrink for the foreseeable future (12-13 years out). So this doesn’t just apply to small schools... though the big one obviously have a handful of advantages.

When you consider that the baby boom of post WWII and the resulting boomlet are now aging and dying off without a third wave, though, just consider what that means for the overall economy, and, er, everything else.

 

[DavidKeys]

Things are really bad at Western Oregon; the state needs to shut that University down now!

https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/education/2020/11/23/western-oregon-university-cut-staff-programs-2021-budget/6341773002/

 

[Pounder]

Things are really bad at Western Oregon; the state needs to shut that University down now!

https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/education/2020/11/23/western-oregon-university-cut-staff-programs-2021-budget/6341773002/

Can Portland State really even be considered a Normal School? A college that grooms teachers? Seems a little expensive for that, no? I know there are declines all around the spectrum, but I don’t see the value in closing Western... yet. Perhaps Western needs to give up their “barely D2” status or their football program (noting that basketball hasn’t been unsuccessful).

Another thing that got me during the Concordia discussion last year... enrollment was declining rather sharply at Linfield. Supposedly, that’s being turned around, but for one thing. The popular program at Linfield isn’t in McMinnville... it’s the nursing school in Portland.