R.I. colleges bucking trend of declining enrollment

BIG ATTRACTION: Bryant University, pictured, along with Providence College report that they will have record first-year enrollments this fall.

COURTESY BRYANT UNIVERSITY

R.I. colleges bucking enrollment trend

BY JAMES BESSETTE | Bessette@PBN.com

(Editor’s note: A version of this story was first published on PBN.com on Aug. 1.)

PROVIDENCE – Across the country, colleges and universities have seen fewer students fill academic halls and dorm rooms over the last few years. But Rhode Island-based colleges are bucking this trend, based on early fall enrollment projections.

According to a spring 2022 study from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, total national enrollment across all sectors has dropped from 17.2 million in the spring of 2020 to 15.9 million last spring. Additionally, the report notes that enrollment has dropped nationally by 20% over the last two years.

However, most institutions within the Ocean State are anticipating increased enrollments from the previous academic year, although final enrollment counts won’t be available until October. Some local colleges are seeing record-setting first-year attendance. At worst, some local colleges say they’re projecting to meet enrollment expectations.

Local colleges have also gone full speed on marketing to attract more students seeking degrees and have hope that this year will see normal campus life fully return for the first time since early 2020.

Providence College and Bryant University will set school records for new enrollment this fall. PC is slated to have about 1,170 new students attend the Dominican Friars institution, while Bryant is expecting to have between 925 and 950 new students enroll this fall – about 10% above Bryant’s previous record level, according to President Ross Gittell.

“That’s very exciting for the institution,” Gittell said, “It shows high interest and the value of a Bryant education.”

Rhode Island School of Design

spokesperson Danielle Mancuso says it is projected to “meet or exceed” last year’s enrollment record of 2,154 undergraduate students and 530 graduate students. Admissions officials could not provide any further details.

Community College of Rhode Island

Dean of Enrollment Management Amy Kacerik says fall enrollment is up about 13.5% from last year. Freshman enrollment at Salve Regina University in Newport is expected to rise by 3% over last year, says Jim Fowler, vice president for enrollment management. Roger Williams University in Bristol is about 6% ahead of where the institution was last year with firstyear enrollment projections and 36% ahead in transfer student projections, according to Vice President for Enrollment Management Amy Tiberio.

New England Institute of Technology

is anticipating a 10% bump in new enrollment when fall classes begin in October, according to Executive Vice President Scott Freund.

Rhode Island College, which has seen enrollment declines in recent years, is seeing a rebound this fall. RIC is anticipating a 10% rise in new undergraduate students attending the college and a “modest” 3% to 5% increase in graduate enrollment, RIC Dean of Enrollment Management Jim Tweed says.

The projected fall enrollments for the University of Rhode Island and Brown University are on par with what they anticipated. URI is slated to have approximately 3,800 new students, which includes about 500 transfers, while Brown is expected to welcome 1,700 first-year students this fall. Brown spokesperson Brian Clark said the university typically has seen in recent years between 1,650 and 1,750 new students attend Brown.

Johnson & Wales University, which had 4,290 full-time undergraduate students enrolled last year, is expecting a decline in new students this year, although it did not clarify how much of an enrollment drop it is expecting. University spokesperson Rachel Nunes says the lower enrollment results reflected changes, including new admission standards. However, Nunes says inquiries to JWU about the fall 2023 semester are “running at pre-pandemic levels.” n

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