BY CAITLIN LEIKER<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Higher education is constantly evolving, and attracting and retaining students has always been a key goal. But in light of the current economy, public opinion and recent enrollment data, colleges and universities must attain that objective through more innovative forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In October, higher education strategist Brad Goan presented national enrollment trends and strategies to faculty and staff at Fort Hays State University as a part of Ruffalo Noel Levitz<\/a> (RNL).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Much of the data showed college enrollment is becoming increasingly diverse \u2013 the education accessibility gap between white male students and all other demographics is slowly closing. Differences in student ages have also been a standout point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Goan pointed out that while some 18-year-olds are debating the importance of college, more 25- to 40-year-olds are going back to school to wrap up unfinished degrees, start a different career path or simply expand their credentials to fit in today\u2019s job market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Throughout the presentation, that idea was referred to as \u201cup-skilling\u201d and \u201cre-skilling\u201d through shorter, non-degree options such as certificates, microcredentials and specific job training programs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs the traditional-age market contracts, colleges and universities are going to have to be more thoughtful that they\u2019re meeting students where they are, whether that be traditional-age students, whether that be adult learners \u2026 and also think about how they can leverage what we do at a university to serve students in different ways than they have before,\u201d Goan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic were also discussed in the presentation. According to the Kansas Board of Regents,<\/a> Academic Year Enrollment headcount decreased by 17,848 students from Fall 2019 to Fall 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the pandemic was a large obstacle in education, Goan pointed out that \u201cCOVID wasn\u2019t just a hindrance, it was an accelerant.\u201d He talked about being thrown into the deep end of online learning \u2013 it was a sink-or-swim situation. Those who thrived in virtual environments forced universities to level-up their course capabilities, offering reliable modalities both in-person and online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Goan also pointed out the work-from-home boom in his presentation \u2013 how COVID inspired a new generation of entrepreneurs, side-hustling to make ends meet. He recommended Fort Hays should continue presenting more interdisciplinary pathways and career connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The financial strain of higher education has also been a significant enrollment variable in recent years. In a 2020 RNL survey<\/a> on high school student and family perceptions of college finances, the top reason students lost interest in a college or university was that it was too expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A total of 76 percent of the students and 80 percent of the parents said financial aid and scholarships were \u201cVery Important\u201d in their enrollment decision. A combined 92 percent of students said it would be \u201cVery Difficult\u201d or \u201cSomewhat Difficult\u201d to finance their college education. Those same ratings made up 96 percent of parent perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The price for books and other classroom supplies alone can be between $628 and $1,471 annually, on average, according to Education Data Initiative<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some Fort Hays departments are responding to the expensive supply problem by implementing Online Educational Resources (OERs). The overarching idea is to use free online resources in college classrooms, thereby making higher education more financially accessible for students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Math instructor Bader Abukhodair started the push for OERs in his department during the 2021-22 school year and was soon joined by many of his colleagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They started the conversion with Contemporary Math, and they are continuing to expand it to College Algebra, Pre-Calculus and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the impact is widely beneficial, the downside of using OERs is the time commitment for professors. Rather than purchasing a prescribed (more expensive) teaching package from a large publisher, professors must select and build their course curriculum and resources around what is already free or low-cost online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This process takes a lot of digging. For Abukhodair and other math professors, it required a whole semester. They received a grant from FHSU\u2019s Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies<\/a> (TILT) to help offset the time it took to replan their courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They provide two options within their department, based on their courses: (1) Students don\u2019t pay anything for their homework, textbook and other course materials; or (2) They pay $12 to cover the whole semester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Half of that money goes to the math department, and half goes back into the development of the OER development program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn College Algebra, we decided not to take anything from the students,\u201d Abukhodair said. \u201cZero amount, period. But in Contemporary Math, we decided to get the $12 because we want the kickback for the projects. Basically, the grant is going through that department, who is overseeing the project of OER \u2026 . So the grant is coming back from the student money that they paid through the classes that they took with OER.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n