Our Opportunities Amidst Change and Uncertainty

March 12, 2024

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As we are near the end of this academic year and look towards celebrating our graduating students, I write to you today to share information on challenges facing higher education nationally, within our state, and in the CSU system. We are in a period of great change and uncertainty, when we — like other institutions of higher education across the country — must respond to falling enrollments, declining state and federal support and increasing skepticism about the value of a degree to students’ career earnings and success. The decisions before us are shaped by a set of challenges unique to our 23-campus CSU system. I feel it is imperative that all members of our extraordinary learning community understand the realities and difficulties we face and the ways in which Cal Poly Pomona will continue to advance.

“I feel it is imperative that all members of our extraordinary learning community understand the realities and difficulties we face and the ways (we) will continue to advance.”

National and CSU Enrollment Challenges
The CSU is facing significant enrollment challenges, with the most serious impacts at our Northern California campuses. The declines are part of a national trend attributed to changing demographics, enrollment declines at community colleges resulting in fewer transfers to the CSU, the prevalence of high-wage jobs that do not require a degree and shifting attitudes about the value of a four-year degree. These trends were highlighted in a recent report by the Campaign for College Opportunity.

Why Our Enrollment Has Declined
Enrollment at CPP has also declined — but our context is different. We continue to see record numbers of applications from interested and qualified students, yet we are unable to expand our student body due to the lack of sufficient yearly permanent base funding from the state.

“We continue to see record numbers of applications…yet we are unable to expand our student body due to the lack of sufficient yearly permanent base funding.”

The CSU Chancellor’s Office sets enrollment targets for every campus and typically provides permanent base state funding to align with the target. Over the last several years, including during our transition from quarters to semesters in 2018, we intentionally increased our enrollment beyond our funded target to avoid the uncertainty about declines that other campuses typically experience during similar transitions. While we did so with the approval from the CSU system, the state funding to support the additional enrollments was allocated as one time funding, rather than permanent dollars.

In subsequent years, we worked to manage the over-enrollment. However, beginning with the pandemic and the resulting fluctuation in applications and the enrollment of continuing students, we needed to implement a more stable enrollment strategy.

State Funding Compact and Enrollment Growth
In 2022, the CSU and the governor agreed that in exchange for the CSU system increasing its enrollment 1% each year, the governor would increase the CSU’s base funding 5% each year beginning in 22-23 through 26-27. However, in 22-23 the CSU system was 5.6% below its enrollment target, and this year, it is projected to be 4.9% below.

Still seeking to fulfill its agreement with the governor, the CSU encouraged those campuses that can enroll beyond their state-funded target to do so, with the promise of additional permanent state funding. At the same time the CSU adopted a new funding formula in 24-25 that will reduce campuses’ budgets by 3% if they do not achieve their enrollment targets. In addition, campuses that are over enrolled must achieve a system-defined target to receive additional permanent base funding instead of a temporary “one time” allocation.

Given that Cal Poly Pomona continues to be a high-demand campus, we seek to continue growing enrollment. However, enrollment growth is likely to continue to be unevenly distributed across campus. To grow the academic programs that can respond to increased demand, we will need to shift resources and redistribute funds to those areas (similar to the approach taken by the Chancellor’s Office at the system level). This will require making some difficult choices.

“To grow the academic programs that can respond to increased demand, we will need to shift resources and…(make) some difficult choices.”

Heightened Competition for Students
Before the recession hit in late 2007, the U.S. birth rate had been steadily increasing for years, allowing CSU campuses to easily meet enrollment targets. However, as the economic downturn took hold, many families postponed or opted out of having children due to financial uncertainty. This was among the factors that contributed to a decrease in the birth rate, which in turn has resulted in fewer traditional-aged college students and a discernible impact on higher education enrollment today. However, amidst this demographic shift, a silver lining emerges as rapidly changing workforce needs create a heightened demand for college-educated employees. Today’s companies seek highly skilled and trained workers. Our students understand those needs and come to our campus for an education that prepares them to meet the professional workforce demands and/or pursue graduate education.

As a result, Cal Poly Pomona is beginning to explore ways to adapt our strategies to accommodate the needs of our students, such as offering flexible learning formats, online programs, and tailored curriculum options aligned with our “learn by doing” model to guarantee that the dynamic needs of the workforce are met and to support lifelong learning opportunities for all. Other higher education institutions are also pursuing these strategies.

Studies also show that students are increasingly prioritizing shorter-term credentials over traditional degrees for some high-wage employment opportunities. This is why it is essential for our university to clearly articulate our value proposition and why Cal Poly Pomona is focused on sharing our story with students, families and the broader community. The benefits of a Cal Poly Pomona degree are numerous and help launch our students into impactful careers and success in today’s dynamic workforce landscape.

All of these factors have created intensified competition for students and funding between the CSUs, UCs, and community colleges. To address this challenge, Cal Poly Pomona is emphasizing accessibility, forging stronger pathway partnerships with our local community colleges and bolstering support services for non-traditional students. By partnering with community colleges, we are continuing to meet the evolving needs of our students and stabilize enrollment trends while creating better access to life-changing programs for thousands of Californians.

It is essential that we continue these successful partnerships in combination with strengthening recruitment efforts for all colleges, optimizing yield strategies to ensure admitted students choose Cal Poly Pomona, enhancing retention initiatives to support student success and implementing revenue-generating programs. Focusing on these priorities and shaping our Strategic Plan to sustain growth in the face of evolving higher education dynamics will allow us to continue delivering on our purpose: to help anyone who dreams of success achieve it.

CPP’s Investments and Strategy
Fortunately, Cal Poly Pomona remains a top choice for many applicants, and we continue to see record levels of student interest and applications.

“The competition to successfully yield…students
is fiercer than ever.”

However, the competition to successfully yield these students is fiercer than ever. That’s why our strategy includes:

• Strengthening the value of what we provide our students. Helping our Broncos connect with employers and develop compelling career paths from the moment they enroll across all majors and colleges.
• Enhancing investment in our outreach and recruitment efforts. Continuing to build student pipelines and pathways for development with our partners. Communicating the value of a Cal Poly Pomona education and providing continued support to gain access.
• Telling our story of polytechnic excellence. Continuing to raise the visibility and awareness of Cal Poly Pomona by sharing student success stories and spreading awareness of the distinctive strengths of our colleges and academic programs.
• Recruiting and retaining highly qualified, diverse faculty and staff that share a commitment to student access and success, and are engaged in impactful research, scholarship, creative activity and institutional projects that advance CPP’s educational and service mission.

Our Bright Future
Cal Poly Pomona's 85-year legacy is marked by adaptability, fueled by our unwavering dedication to creativity, discovery, and innovation. Our polytechnic approach to learning fosters an environment where students thrive through hands-on experiential learning and real-world applications. This commitment empowers our graduates with the tools and mindset to navigate changing landscapes and excel in the dynamic industries of today’s workforce. We must remain adaptable to ensure continued relevance and impact as we embrace emerging challenges and opportunities, while never losing sight of our past.

We are unique among universities in bringing together the CPP polytechnic experience, diversity and economic mobility in our culture of care. Building upon these strengths will continue to position us for growth. My leadership team and I will continue to provide updates to the campus on the status of our initiatives, our progress and outcomes.

Let us never forget W.K. Kellogg’s vision for our university: “We are not making these changes just for today. We are planning for future generations.”

“We must remain adaptable to ensure continued relevance and impact as we embrace emerging challenges and opportunities.”

In making hard decisions today, we will continue to build upon Kellogg’s vision and dream of ensuring sustainability, prosperity and continuity for decades to come. By prioritizing the needs of future generations, we create a legacy of responsible stewardship and ensure a better world for tomorrow. And by working together to address our challenges, we ensure that Cal Poly Pomona will continue to lead as an innovator and bastion of growth and opportunity for all.

Sincerely, 

Soraya M. Coley, Ph.D.
President