The University of Akron on Thursday emailed nearly 3,500 people in the university community taking issue with a Beacon Journal story on freshman applicants for the fall semester, which was published the same day.
The university email suggested that the story was “inaccurate, misleading and apparently relied on out-of-date information.” However, new data in the email were not available to the Beacon Journal before publishing the story.
In a meeting with the newspaper Friday, the university provided newer information released the day the story was published, that in fact raised additional concerns about the upcoming school year: The number of students who have committed to attending next year is the lowest in at least five years.
New data show that as of this time a year ago, 2,464 students had confirmed they would attend next fall, or about 49 percent of the 5,000 who confirm by September. By Thursday, only 1,658 had done so, or 33 percent of 5,000 needed to maintain the same number of students. That’s a shortfall of about 800 students.
University spokesman Wayne Hill confirmed Friday that it is a concern for administrators. The budget, which begins July 1, is dependent on tuition income and state funding. State aid is heavily weighted on enrollment.
“The confirmation numbers are down this year compared to last year and that’s why the University of Akron is taking extensive and comprehensive efforts and will be continuing that process until the start of classes,” Hill said.
“There are pretty extensive efforts throughout the campus including initiatives such as social media activities, letter writings, deans and faculty members reaching out to students as well as President [Scott] Scarborough making personal calls to prospective students.”
Issue of academics
The newspaper reported that college entrance-exam scores for freshman applicants were on average lower than the previous two years, as were grade point averages, or GPAs.
The scores suggest that UA faces a challenge as it endeavors to improve the academic quality of its student body and raise its graduation rate from one of the lowest in Ohio.
ACT scores for this year’s applicants averaged 22 for the February report obtained by the Beacon Journal, down from 22.3 last year and 22.4 the previous year.
A more recent report had been requested of the university, but one was not provided before publication.
When UA met with the Beacon Journal on Friday and delivered enrollment numbers dated Thursday, the scores for applicants were even lower: 21.9, 22.1 and 22.2, respectively.
The university took issue with the reporting of applicant scores, saying that what matters is the average for the students who are enrolled when school begins.
In its email to nearly 3,500 people, UA said the Beacon Journal erred in saying scores were going down. It told recipients that test scores for enrolled freshmen in 2015 were the same as 2014 — and higher than 2012.
However, it was making comparisons with different sets of numbers.
The years 2014-16, used by the Beacon Journal, were in a routine report produced by the enrollment office. They coincidently represent Scarborough’s first years.
To take issue with the Beacon Journal, UA on Thursday produced a new set of numbers dating back to 2012. By going to 2012, they included the final years of President Luis Proenza, who had launched a new initiative to accept students with higher test scores.
Sign of improvement
There was good news in the newest data: Among the students who have said they want to attend UA next year, their average ACT score is 22.8, the same as last year, although down from 23 a year earlier.
However, of the approximately 11,000 students with acceptance letters, their average scores also are down slightly to 22.3 from 22.5 last year and 22.7 in 2014.
UA officials argue that high school GPAs, not the ACT, are the best indicator of whether a student will graduate. GPAs of freshmen both admitted and confirmed so far this year are slightly higher than last year — 3.33 vs. 3.32 for both.
The data available to the Beacon Journal showed GPAs were down in each of the past two years.
The Beacon Journal corrected an error regarding spring enrollment in other publicly funded MAC colleges in Ohio. Only UA and the University of Toledo showed a year-to-year decline. UA was down 3.2 percent at its main campus, Toledo was down 1.9 percent.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.