Enrollment Up At Oregon's Private Colleges, Down At Public Us.

TUALATIN, OR —The Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges & Universities announced Tuesday that its headcount enrollment at its 13 institutions increased slightly over the last year, even while the enrollment at the state's junior colleges and public universities has decreased.

The Alliance, which includes private, nonprofit and independent colleges such as University of Portland, Multnomah University and Lewis and Clark College, has seen a 1-percent increase in headcount enrollment from fall 2020 to fall 2021, according to the organization.

Meanwhile, the most recent data from the Salem-based Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) reported a 0.4-percent drop in Oregon's community college headcount enrollment and a 0.5-percent drop in the state's public university headcount enrollment during the same time period.

"It is clear that students continue to view Alliance member colleges and universities as a tremendous value and pathway to securing a brighter future," said Brent Wilder, president of The Alliance. "In a constantly changing world, our member institutions are preparing the next generation of leaders to recognize and solve problems, to communicate ideas and solutions persuasively and learn new skills and adapt to change quickly throughout their lifetime"

"Our members work diligently to help students minimize debt, graduate on time and prepare for a life of meaningful contributions while at the same time having a significant impact on Oregon's economy, which was $1.58 billion in 2018-19."

Important statistics relating to The Alliance include:

• Total enrollment at Alliance institutions is 26,331 students.
• 49 percent of transfer students have previously attended an Oregon community college.
• 16.7 percent of students are first-generation.
• Alliance institutions enroll a higher number of diverse students compared to Oregon's population data from the 2020 census.
• 10.4 percent of The Alliance's aggregate student population are Asian American, compared to the 4.6 percent of Oregon's population.
• 3.7 percent of The Alliance's student body population are African American, compared to 2.0 percent of Oregon's overall population.
• 14 percent of The Alliance's student body population are Hispanic/Latinx, compared to 13.9 percent of Oregon's overall population.
• The percentage of undergraduate first-time, full-time, degree seeking, and Pell eligible students is 25.4 percent.
• Oregon students constitute 45 percent of enrolled learners, an increase of 1.1 percent over the last year.

In touting its growth, The Alliance also highlighted the steps it has taken to minimize transmission of COVID-19 at its institutions.

"We're pleased with our high levels of vaccination, the willingness among students to engage in COVID-19 safety measures and the low rate of cases across our 13 member colleges and universities," The Alliance said in a statement. "Our members have implemented a variety of systems and plans to manage potential roadblocks or virus resurgence, including: requiring masks/face coverings in all indoor spaces, cleaning protocols developed from CDC guidance, sanitizing stations throughout campus, COVID-19 surveillance testing and proof of vaccination for sporting events.