This story will be updated.
Though enrollment numbers are still being finalized, preliminary Fall 2019 enrollment numbers are “significantly lower” compared to previous years, according to DePauw University President Mark McCoy.
According to McCoy, DePauw expected 550 first-year students to enroll for next year, but early results show DePauw not hitting that threshold. McCoy refused to provide the preliminary number, saying an exact enrollment number for the class of 2023 will be announced on Monday.
While DePauw’s first-year class size has been more than 500 for the past 10 years, total enrollment has been declining, according to data gathered by DePauw’s Office of Institutional Research.
In fall of 2009, 2,396 students were enrolled in classes. Since then, the total enrollment has dropped more than 10%, with only 2,156 enrolled this past fall.
McCoy shared the news with faculty and staff in his end of week email earlier today, saying, “Be assured, however, that there will be no cuts or reductions as a result of this class.”
McCoy attributed the low number to multiple factors that created the “perfect storm,” such as the recent faculty and staff layoffs, high cost of private education, his vote of no-confidence last November, and the “crackdown on drinking” in regards to Greek life. He also explained how the number could change in the coming months. “Every year, the May 1 number means less because students want more time to decide—there’s still a lot of people out there,” said McCoy.
“We expected a small class. We just didn’t think it would have this much of an impact.”
Maddy McTigue and Katie Hunger contributed to this story.