An enrollment projection for the biggest school at the University of Kansas is offering a glimpse at the impact of the coronavirus pandemic for the fall semester as it struggles to fill classes. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the university has told its faculty members that enrollment for the fall semester is down 12% from where it was in 2019, and 9% from its three-year average.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports that interim dean John Colombo wrote that some mid-to-upper level classes are not expected to meet the minimum enrollment requirement of 12 students. Department chairs have been instructed to cancel an unspecified number of classes, and the school is not anticipating rehiring faculty members who do not have a continuing appointment to teach in the fall.
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at KU comprises more than 52% of the undergraduate and graduate students at the Lawrence and Edwards campuses.