The Tennessee Higher Education Commission recently reported a 2.2% systemwide increase in fall 2024 enrollments at state-operated colleges and universities compared to fall 2023. Undergraduate enrollment rose by 2.3%, and graduate enrollment increased by 1.3%. However, first-time, first-year enrollments declined by 2.5%.
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville saw a 6.7% enrollment growth, while both the University of Tennessee at Martin and Austin Peay State University experienced increases of more than 8%.
Conversely, Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black university, reported a 23% drop in total enrollment. Undergraduate enrollment fell by 25.3%, and graduate enrollment decreased by over 12%. The decline was most pronounced among first-year students, with enrollments plummeting by more than half. The enrollment drop has resulted in an estimated $28 million revenue loss.
Interim TSU President Ronald A. Johnson acknowledged the challenges and emphasized the university’s efforts to address the issue. “We are actively analyzing the factors contributing to the decline and have already begun to take steps to address them,” Johnson told The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education.
TSU has faced significant institutional turmoil, contributing to its enrollment struggles. In February, the state replaced the university’s entire board of trustees following an audit that alleged financial mismanagement. The leadership changes continued this summer when longtime president Glenda Glover, who had served since 2013, stepped down.
The university’s challenges also have deep historical roots. In 1913, the Tennessee legislature allocated 25% of federal land-grant funds to TSU. However, from 1957 to 2007, TSU did not receive its share of these funds. A state legislative committee recently determined that TSU is owed between $150 million and $544 million in unpaid allocations.
While many historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have seen enrollment increases in recent years, TSU’s decline stands out as an outlier. Efforts to stabilize and rebuild the institution amid these ongoing challenges are expected to be critical for its future.
