CHARLESTON -
Fall semester enrollment in West Virginia's state-supported colleges and universities decreased by 775, or about 1.1 percent, from 2011 to 2012, according to numbers released by the Higher Education Policy Commission on Nov. 13.
Half of the 12 state schools reported increased enrollment, while the other half reported decreases. Marshall University reported the largest decrease at 333, while West Virginia University had the highest increase, at 90. In percentages, Glenville State had the greatest growth at 2.2 percent, while the WVU Institute of Technology had the largest decrease at 15.9 percent. On Nov. 12, WVU officials attributed most of the decrease at Tech to the termination of the school's football program.
Schools gaining enrollment from last fall to this fall were Bluefield State College, Concord University, Glenville State College, West Liberty University, the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine and WVU.
Overall enrollment at state schools was 68,364 last year and 67,589 this year.
Going back to 2008, the greatest growth was at Glenville, which saw its enrollment increase by 31.5 percent, while the greatest decline was at West Virginia State, where enrollment fell by 12 percent. The other two schools showing enrollment declines from 2008 to 2012 were Fairmont State and WVU Tech.
Although enrollment at most schools peaked in 2010, enrollment at WVU has increased each year since 2008.
In fall 2008, enrollment at the four schools totaled 65,976.
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