NMSU, Dona Ana County Community College see pandemic enrollment drop-offs

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — Colleges around the nation are experiencing a decrease in student enrollment due to the pandemic. 

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported a 3.2 percent drop in undergraduate enrollment across the country this fall. 

New Mexico State University saw a 3 percent decrease system wide at all of their campuses from the previous year. The main Las Cruces campus saw a decrease of 2.3 percent to 13,904 total students this fall. 

NMSU’s community colleges saw a mix of increases and decreases at different campuses. Dona Ana County Community College saw an 8.2 percent decrease in students.

The university’s online enrollment did see a spike though, increasing 10 percent from the previous year. 

The university is working to overcome the challenges the pandemic brought. One of those strategies is providing full-time freshman and iPad bundle for online schooling. 

“It became clear that access to technology and the need for technology skill enhancement were necessary for student success,” Renay Scott, vice president for student success, said in a news release.