First, take note that the trend begins in 2012. I have also seen it described as beginning in 2009. Both these dates are super important because they are when enrollments at universities were unusually high due to the great recession driving the jobless to enhance their credentials.

The University of Wisconsin System, for example, experienced a steady decrease of enrollment since the great recession.

If one looks at enrollment trends from 2000 to 2020, however, the UW System has actually experienced a slight increase in enrollment overall.

Also, while the author mentioned universities responding to the enrollment decline with tuition freezes, he ignores–or purposely avoids data that goes against his argument–from the University of Wisconsin System where a tuition freeze has been in place for ten years, leading to cuts in services and program quality that has fueled enrollment declines not stopped them.

The important point to keep in mind is that some parts of the country continue to grow and attract plenty of students while places that cut services and quality of life will likely decline.

Universities should resist jumping into new investments based on sensationalized data and hype from corporate interests.