Boston’s Emerson College recently announced that the number of new students for the upcoming academic year is significantly lower than expected.
There are many factors contributing to this phenomenon, including previous student protest activities on campus.
“We believe that the decrease in enrollment is due to a variety of factors, including unfavorable national trends for small private institutions, delays in enrollment deposits due to the introduction of new federal financial aid programs (FAFSA), student protests against our revenue-generating activities and campus tours, as well as negative news and social media reports stemming from demonstrations and arrests,” said Jay Bernhardt, President of Emerson College.
The university stated that the decrease in enrollment will impact their budget for the upcoming years. Although this decline in enrollment is described as a “singular annual occurrence,” the university plans to immediately cut expenses, including layoffs, to offset the loss in tuition, housing, and dining revenue.
In April of this year, Emerson College, like many other schools, witnessed a camp protest in support of Palestine. Hundreds of protesters occupying public roads and setting up tents were arrested.