Here are 5 things to know from our reporting:
1. Fiscal watch: The university is under fiscal watch, which means increased monitoring from the state government and access to additional resources. The university has failed to make monthly payments for things like facilities management and student services.
2. Enrollment halved: Central State had a total of 2,719 students this academic year. In the 2021-2022 school year, the university enrolled 6,044 students.
3. Online program bust: One major reason for the drop in enrollment is the end of an online program that the university shut down under pressure from the U.S. Department of Education.
4. Students not paying: Central State also has a unusual, longstanding policy that students can be on a payment plan for the previous semester’s tuition if they owe less than $3,000 and sign up for classes for the next semester.
5. What’s next: The university has a hiring freeze in place until next summer, and several positions have been combined, according to university officials. Read the full story here for reaction from university officials on how they intend to keep Central State running.
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