Colleges on the West Side are actively making an effort to improve their low student enrollment rates.
A drop in student enrollment is being reported at three-quarters of the region's two and four-year institutions.
“There are a lot of options for students, and to have your institution stand out can be very challenging,” Dean Reinhart, associate director of undergraduate admissions at SUNY Buffalo State said.
Buffalo State has added three new sports to its athletic department. Acrobatics and tumbling and men's volleyball are set to start in the 2023-24 season, while women's wrestling will begin in the 2024-25 season.
Jeff Ventura, senior associate director of athletics, said the athletic enrollment is almost 10% of overall student enrollment at Buffalo State.
“If it weren't for athletics, they’d be choosing another institution,” Ventura said.
Canisius College, on the other hand, has eliminated standardized admissions test scores. Emphasizing a bigger value on access to education, applicants for the Fall 2024 school year will no longer be required to submit these scores.
In order to attract students to register, both Medaille and D’Youville changed their institution from college in the spring of 2022.
Colleges will continue to focus on finding new ways to enhance the student experience. Reinhart said students stopped attending school due to the pandemic, however, admissions for fall 2023 have increased significantly.
“Individuals are beginning to pursue education again, and realize the value of it,” Reinhart said. By Otisha James and Amnah Mohsin
