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University of Arizona Undergraduate Enrollment Increased For the Tucson area, home to the university, this upward trend is key.
Higher education institutions are the “most important” component of the economic life of Arizona’s cities and towns, said Michael Guymon, president and CEO of Tucson Metro Chambers.
“The University of Arizona is the biggest financial asset we have in the area,” he said.
Area also hosts Arizona State University Facility, Pima Community College and various vocational schools. These institutions are “very important to provide much-needed post-secondary education for businesses to recruit the right people and develop the skills they need to ultimately succeed,” says Guymon. says Mr.
Enrollment in colleges and universities across the country has declined significantly in recent years. aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. And according to Clive Belfield, professor of education and labor economics at his College of Queens, part of the City University of New York, enrollment could continue to decline by 5% to 10% annually in the near future. I have.
United States Declining university student populationRising college costs, student-loan debt, and a moderately attractive job market are causing some prospective students to avoid higher education, Bellfield said.
College leaders have also grappled with stagnant state funding, as well as pressure to reduce stagnant state funding and tuition.As a result, since 2016, more than 90 colleges and universities in 34 states have Announcement or Final Determination of Merger or Closure.
The closure of these universities and declining enrollment could have a major impact on cities and towns that rely on the enormous economic benefits that higher education provides.
Colleges are “major economic engines” and represent a major part of the rural economy, says Matthew, chief program officer of Main Street America, a group whose goal is to improve the economic viability of downtown. Wagner said.
Vibrant student enrollment is intrinsically linked to business success in college cities, Wagner said.
Educational institutions bring in new talent that can fill vacant positions and hire locals, he said. The money is spent locally by students, staff, people visiting their parents and grandparents, and attending campus sporting events. So are the university’s back-end operations, which require contracts with local businesses, such as restaurants, retail, construction, and various trade and professional services, he said.
Arizona Economic Stakes
Whether enrollment in Arizona’s colleges and universities will increase or decrease in the future is a billion-dollar question for the state. A 20% increase in enrollment in Arizona institutions would generate more than $5 billion in social benefits for him per cohort. Recent reports Discovered by the Helios Education Foundation and Education Forward Arizona. The report analyzed his one cohort of approximately 69,000 high school graduates in the 2022 class. Meanwhile, a 10% increase in college completion rates would generate $1.3 billion per cohort, the report says.
At Pima Community College in Tucson Registration denied According to the university website, when the pandemic began, especially among students who are racial minorities. was the lowest or second lowest.
University of Arizona Sees Recent Enrollment Growth mainly According to news site Tucson.com, the proportion of out-of-state students is declining, while the proportion of in-state students is declining.
The trend is regional elderly populationTucson has fewer 16- to 24-year-olds than previous generations, Guymon said. difficult for companies to fill vacancies.
“We don’t see the type of numbers we need to fill all the positions that exist in our region, either in the short term or the long term,” said Guymon.
The University of Arizona is neck and neck Guymon said it is partnering with Raytheon Technologies to earn the title of Tucson’s largest employer. But for Tucson’s business community, he said the most important function of the university is its ability to generate talent.
With fewer students attending college, employers may stop seeing Tucson as a place to grow and look elsewhere for expansion, Guymon said.
The first thing a company looking to relocate or expand is to assess whether a city or town has “people with the right skills to hire today,” Guymon said. If student enrollment declines, “they might reconsider expanding here.”
Belfield, co-author of the Helios-Education Forward Arizona report, said the drop in student numbers across the United States is in slow waves. The enrollment rate for the first grade is low, but the enrollment rate for the fourth grade is stable, he said. As a result, the economic impact of declining enrollment will also be moderated, he said.
Metropolitan areas that are big cities for college students, such as Boston, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, won’t be affected in the same way as college towns, Bellfield said. Arizona’s large public universities, such as the University of Arizona, “are not going to be a big problem,” he said.
Online learning is also changing geographic economics.
“It will be years before the wave passes through college towns and actually starts closing facilities,” Bellfield asked.
He expects spending by students to eventually decline in small college towns, affecting restaurants, pubs and entertainment.
Currently forming partnerships
Tucson’s business leaders are actively working to ensure that University of Arizona students remain in the area after graduation, filling numerous job openings.
For example, the Tucson Metro Chamber is working to invite employers to college classrooms and special events to let students know there are opportunities in the city after graduation, Guymon said. “Sometimes there is a perception that Tucson doesn’t have much of a chance from their standpoint,” he said.
Local business and economic development leaders also launched campaigns aiming to attract It will bring new businesses and talent to the region, he said.
In small college towns, community and downtown-minded groups need to be proactive and not wait for local colleges to show visible signs of a downturn.
“We now need to work with local university leaders,” Wagner said. In these conversations, university leaders need to inform local leaders about their direction, strategies, and how the community can best support them.
Legislation could also help some universities and their communities.
Georgia’s bipartisan bill “prosperity planning district” around historically black colleges and universities. This measure is intended to use HBCU resources to improve the economic and workforce prospects of the surrounding communities. For example, building new housing on land can generate additional funding for a university.
Cities and towns can also support local universities by increasing downtown housing through creative public-private financing, Wagner said.
We can also work to improve the quality of life of students who attend these institutions. It offers attractive trails, recreational opportunities, swimming pools, funky local restaurants, and cafés where students can hang out and do their studies. Communities can also create opportunities for entrepreneurs to interact with students and staff.
“It’s this kind of effort that makes a big difference in our ability to attract and retain students,” Wagner said.
