Hunter
02/10/21
Student enrollment for the spring semester at Iowa’s three state-run universities dropped between 7 and 9 percent, as administrators grapple with budget issues associated with the coronavirus pandemic.
The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that the University of Iowa has seen an enrollment decline from 32,323 in the fall semester of 2017 to 28,320 this spring. That’s about 7 percent down from fall 2020.
At Iowa State, their spring enrollment is nearly 8 percent lower than its fall enrollment. The University of Northern Iowa has fared the worst of the three institutions, dropping enrollment by almost 9 percent from the fall.
The universities usually see students drop out from fall to spring, but the challenges of virtual learning and trying to keep students engaged has exacerbated the number of students who are opting to take a semester, or even a year off.
At the University of Iowa, administrators are working towards a shift to more traditional classroom operations come this fall. A recent campus-wide message said that the UI wants to hold as many face-to-face courses as possible, while maintaining virtual flexibility.
The universities had $8 million cut from their budgets over the summer due to the pandemic; administrators are asking state legislators to restore those monies and increase the 2022 fiscal year budget by $18 million.
