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Title: America's College Towns Go From Boom To Bust

Link: https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/05/20/1554...

America's regional state universities are experiencing steep enrollment
declines, triggering economic crises in the towns that depend on them, while
flagship universities continue to thrive. At Western Illinois University in
Macomb, enrollment has plummeted 47% since 2010, driving the city's
population down 23% to 14,765. Empty dorms have been repurposed or
demolished, while local businesses struggle to survive. "It's almost like
you're watching the town die," Kalib McGruder, a 28-year veteran of the
campus police department, told WSJ. An analysis of 748 public four-year
institutions reveals enrollment at prestigious state universities increased
9% between 2015 and 2023, while regional state schools saw a 2% decline. The
University of Tennessee Knoxville's enrollment jumped 30% as the state's
regional colleges collectively fell 3%. With high school graduate numbers
expected to decline starting next year after reaching a record high in 2024,
the outlook for struggling college towns appears bleak.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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