Pace Press

Issue date: 9/6/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Emma Hatton The Class of 2010 settles into college student life at the Opportunitas Fair during their first-year orientation program.

Earlier this year Vice President for Enrollment Management William Black said the University was steadily gaining incoming students; however, projected enrollment figures for undergraduate students for Fall '06 show a four to five percent decline.

During an Aug. 31 press conference, Joseph Morreale, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, and Executive Vice President for finance and administration Rick Whitfield, said, "We are facing an enrollment shortfall of more like 4 - 5 percent. We are also working very diligently and deliberatively to improve the enrollment right up to the beginning of fall term."

Morreale said the original enrollment goal was a two percent increase from the 2005 - 2006 academic year, which had experienced a high in enrollment figures.

"The situation we are facing now is serious but not dire," he said.

Whitfield added, "This situation is not unique of Pace University; there is no crisis here. It's solvable."

Following the first month of enrollment deposits, the University community tossed around a double-digit drop in enrollment. Associate Provost for Student Success Patrick Love told first year orientation leaders during their training program the University was experiencing a 20% decrease.

Morreale said the 20% idea "surfaced due to [initial incoming-student] deposit decreases by 20% in May 2006," which is not directly related to enrollment numbers.

The schools that have been affected most include the Ivan G. Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems despite its $15 million grant from Ivan G. Seidenberg, the chairman and CEO of Verizon Communications. The Lubin School of Business and the Pforzheimer Honors College have also seen a lower enrollment.  

Total enrollment decreased by approximately 430 incoming students, resulting in a loss of $8 - 15 million. Morreale and Whitefield said while these millions of dollars may seem like a lot, it is not as significant a number with respect to the University's overall budget.

There may be numerous of reasons behind the decline in enrollment, including the University's tuition increase from $24,752 (class of 2009) to $29,454 (class of 2010), which, according to Black, was due largely to high-rising energy costs.

Whitfield said the strength of any University lies in its endowment with the University's being $102.6 million.

Morreale and Whitfield stressed no other factors played a role in the fund shortage; the problem is strictly to do with this academic year's enrollment numbers. The 2005-2006 retention rates and student bills not paid by deadline are not factors.

According to University administration, key reasons for the decline include the fact that the University is targeting a higher standard of students - ones who have more financial and educational choices.

Another significant reason is the Patriot Act, which places limitations on international students. This issue of less and less international students over the past few years is an issue affecting universities and colleges nationwide, not just Pace, according to Morreale and Whitfield.

A third reason for the slump may be that computer and technology schools, like Seidenberg, are experiencing an all-time low in applicants.

Some students attribute the steep tuition increase as reason for an enrollment decrease.

"If I were a student contemplating joining Pace as a freshman, I'd have to really weigh my options because the price is so high now. I would honestly consider other schools because of rise in tuition. Maybe that's why enrollment is having issues," said sophomore psychology major Jennifer Garvey.

Others blame poor advertising and marketing strategies.

"As freshman who can luckily afford the tuition here at Pace, I don't know if the price is the only problem. Maybe Pace needs to get the word out better about the school, get more people interested, and make sure people know why Pace is a better choice than say, NYU or Colombia University. I'm sure advertising is a large part of enrollment," freshman business major Michael Khidekel said.

Changes the University can expect to see due to this shortfall include cuts in adjunct sections of courses because there are not enough students to attend those classes.

"We did not cut any necessary classes that will help students graduate," Whitfield said.

The Administration is not planning on cutting any student projects or services. They have planned not to cut funds from any University Funded Organizations (UFOs), school media or Student Development and Campus Activities (SDACA). Also, student activities fees will not be raised.

President David Caputo has called for a hiring freeze, unless the position is critical to the functioning of the University, such as the University Director of the Office of Student Assistance (OSA).

"I need a strong person to reorganize that and make it more student-centered," Morreale said.

Morreale also said several administrative offices, including his own and the president's, will be re-evaluating themselves to make appropriate changes.

Though some decisions have been made to balance out the decline in enrollment, the University has made no plans to use money from the endowment or the centennial grants.

Morreale said the endowment provides "inter-generational equity. The [endowment] is our base we work from. Unless there are dire straights, we won't do that."

Whitfield said while the University has received many grants that are specifically given to fund the centennial celebrations, these grants are corporate gifts that the University cannot use to balance the budget loss.

"The funds that are leftover from the Centennial will later roll into Centennial scholarships," Whitfield said.

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