COVID Relief Bill | Graphic by Kayli Thompson | The Wright State Guardian
During both the Faculty Senate meeting on Dec. 7, and the Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 10, concerns were raised on declining enrollment and the monetary side effects of the coronavirus.
Enrollment
According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, enrollment rates at postsecondary establishments are down from last year in all institutional sectors. These sectors include community colleges, private nonprofit four-year colleges, public four-year colleges and private for-profit four-year colleges.
Public, four-year institutions across the nation have seen an overall decline of 1.9% in enrollment since the beginning of the coronavirus in March 2020.
The WSU website lists 2020 enrollment at 12,234 total students.
“We are still 5 weeks out so we are keeping a close eye on [enrollment], however we budgeted similarly to that of the Fall at around -22%,” said Director of University Fiscal Services Summer Todd during the Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 10.
Heading into the spring semester, the university is still expecting lower than usual enrollment rates, but are nonetheless continuing efforts to raise these numbers.
“We are currently tracking being down 18% for enrollment heading into Spring. We budgeted for 9,455 students, so we still have some ground to make up, but if it’s anything like fall semester I'm hoping to see that we will be better than budget,” said Todd.
Professor and Faculty Senator Dawn Wooley brought awareness to the Nutter Center and the Boonshoft School of Medicine, as a possible means to get involved in the coronavirus vaccination process.
“Since we have a Medical School, and neighboring Montgomery County is in the purple with high numbers of COVID-19 cases, has there been any thought to putting in a bid for Wright State to be a center for vaccination, leveraging our expertise and using the Nutter Center? This could be an opportunity for positive public relations and a possible increase in enrollment,” said Wooley during the Dec. 7 Faculty Senate meeting.
WSU Interim Provost Dr. Douglas Leaman agreed with Senator Wooley.
“Wright State will be involved in the vaccination process. I don’t have specific details, but we are partnering with Greene County on this and we will be involved. We will most certainly be involved, and we need to be a focus in these efforts,” said Provost Leaman.
WSU President Sue Edwards was in agreement with both Senator Wooley and Provost Leaman.
“The Nutter Center has already been approved as a possible overflow location, but at this point they are choosing to go with a more central Montgomery county-based overflow. Nonetheless we are still on call because we have the structure put in place,” said President Edwards.
Relief funds
In November, WSU received $2,726,577 in Coronavirus Relief Funds granted by the Ohio Department of Higher Education for use in offsetting expenses incurred as a result of addressing the coronavirus.
A motion to approve use of these funds was voted on during the WSU Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 10.
The motion to use these funds as such was unanimously approved, however specifics on when and how this money was not given.
