College Rolls Fell Last Fall in 3 of 4 States, Poll Finds : Education: Decline is called ‘most severe’ seen in six years of surveys. Experts cite reduced course offerings, higher tuition, budget constraints.

College and university enrollments fell this fall in three out of four states in a poll by the American Council of Education. The council said it was the “most severe” decline recorded in six years of surveys.

“We feel pretty confident that this does represent a national trend,” said David Merkowitz, spokesman for the council.

Merkowitz said the 16 states responding to the survey represent more than 40% of the student body at two-year and four-year public and private colleges and universities. Twelve of those states showed declines.

Council officials attributed the enrollment decline to reduced course offerings, tuition increases and enrollment caps associated with state budget constraints and to increased job opportunities accompanying the economic recovery.

Merkowitz said the shrinking pool of 18- to 24-year-olds “may be a factor but not much of one” in the declining enrollments. He said 40% of today’s college students are “non-traditional”--older, attending part-time and supporting dependents.

Of the 16 states providing complete enrollment information, only Georgia, New Jersey, Tennessee and Texas reported increases.

“We’ve been making efforts to increase the college-going rate in the state, including a publicity campaign in the middle and high schools,” said Joe Szutz, assistant vice chancellor for planning for the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. College and university enrollment in the state was up 2.6%.

Enrollment drops ranged from 2.5% in Mississippi to 0.1% in Maryland.

Other states reporting declines were Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma and Virginia.

The Council of Education said lower enrollments were reported in five of 19 states in 1992, three states in 1991 and one state--Connecticut--in 1990.

Enrollments in Connecticut have fallen for four consecutive years, said the council, which represents 1,500 colleges and universities and more than 200 national and regional higher education associations.

Of 17 states reporting community college data, 10 said enrollment had declined.

Among them is California, where the community college system--the largest in the nation--experienced a 9% drop in enrollment this fall.

The council gathered its data through written and telephone surveys of state higher education offices and private college associations.