Columbia officials speculated possible lower enrollment for the fall 2009 semester during the College Council meeting on the 8th floor of the 1104 Center, 1104 S. Wabash Ave., on Feb. 6, but said the numbers are not concrete

Mark Kelly, vice president of Student Affairs, told the council that spring 2009 enrollment was up by 3 percent from last year, which shows retention may be higher, but the college is seeing an “ominous” decrease in new students for both spring and fall 2009.

“We were down in new students for the spring,” he said at the meeting. “It’s 5 percent; in actual numbers it’s only 41 students, but that is not something I’m typically reporting up to this body.”

The college also saw a 5 percent decrease in the number of students living on campus, which is about an $800,000 shortfall in the college’s budget, Kelly said. He said it was still a “healthy” 92 percent occupancy, but Columbia usually sees about 97 percent.

“We’re seeing the pressures of students not being able to afford that extra $10,000 [to live on campus],” he said.

Kelly noted at the meeting that completed applications are up 4 percent from this time last year, but student confirmations-down payments from students committed to attending Columbia-are down 13 percent from last year.

He said it was still early in the process and these numbers are nothing more than an indicator of possible things to come.

“It’s something private colleges are seeing across the country,” Kelly said. “It’s still very early in the cycle, but something we need to watch. We’ve seen a healthy growth in the past, but next period, growth will be difficult in this economy.”

Columbia relies on tuition for most of its operating revenue and lower enrollment numbers could affect the fall 2009 budget. Steve Kapelke, provost and senior vice president, said the budget is not confirmed for the fall semester, but the administration will continue to review it.

“We’re constantly reviewing the budget implications of student enrollment,” Kapelke said. “It’s hard to tell, but all of higher education is unsettled [in this economy].”

He also said it’s important for Columbia to continue listening to the students and finding new avenues to bring in prospective students.

“We’re entering a new era in student recruitment,” Kapelke said.

Jessica Valerio, president of the Student Government Association, said she thinks the college is doing its best to help students.

“The only way to solve the affordability issue is to give people more money, I guess,” she said. “I think Mark [Kelly] said it well when he said, ‘The 46 percent increase is great, but more needs to be done.’ I’m confident to think that Kelly and other administrators are working toward that.”

Tuition will increase 2.86 percent in the fall, which Kelly said is the lowest increase the college has seen in recent years. Valerio said the increase, while unfortunate in this economic time, is still reasonable.

“Personally, I’m happy with that number,” she said. “Especially with the fact that the majority of the budget increase is going toward scholarships that are need-based. So the people who are really feeling the pressures of the 2.86 increase will sort of get some aid to help them ease that off.”

Kelly said the increased scholarship dollars are 90 percent need-based to new and continuing students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He said the college also has a new initiative to help increase scholarship funds.

“We will match 1-to-1 any gift coming into the college. It will all go to continuing students,” he said. “We already have a gift of $100,000 to jumpstart that.”