At the State of the College in early October, Columbia’s senior vice president of Enrollment Strategy and Success announced that the school’s enrollment increased from 3,958 in Spring 2026 to 4,265 students for Fall 2026. 

The increase was a significant win for Columbia and for one of President and CEO Shantay Bolton’s top administrators, Emmanuel Lalande. For a college that has struggled with declining enrollment and mounting financial pressures, the growth offered a sign that its efforts to attract students were gaining traction and that it might be beginning to regain its footing.

But now, after about 18 months at the college, Lalande has left Columbia. His departure last week puts the long-term viability of the enrollment strategy that produced those gains in doubt.

The college still faces a projected $18 million deficit this fiscal year, making it critical to generate enough revenue to cover operating expenses.

In explaining his departure, sources told the Chronicle that the Board of Trustees was concerned about how much money the college was losing by discounting tuition.

Columbia must decide whether to continue the same discounting strategy or change its approach to recruitment. Students who enrolled with institutional scholarships and tuition discounts also deserve assurances that their financial aid commitments will be honored.

The college should explain how its enrollment strategy will change, if at all, and how it plans to balance affordability with financial stability.

Enrollment growth is important for Columbia’s future. But the number of students walking through the doors tells only part of the story. Students, faculty and staff deserve to know what the college spent to bring them there and whether that strategy can be sustained.

Copy edited by Camila Verzino