Wooster faces enrollment concerns as vice president for enrollment resigns

Helen Oriatti-Bruns

Copy Editor

On Wednesday, March 20, President Anne McCall announced the resignation of Jennifer Winge, vice president for enrollment. Winge has accepted a position at Allegheny College. Cathy Finks, the current executive director of admissions, will take over the vacant position effective in May.

The arrival of this news comes in the midst of enrollment concerns at the College. According to the College, the class of 2027  — the current first year class — has 452 students. This is a 22% decrease from the previous year; the class of 2026 entered Wooster with 578 students. Additionally, the website College Tuition Compare reports that the number of Wooster students decreased by 113 from the 2012-13 academic year to the 2022-23 academic year.

The College places their retention rate — the percentage of first year students that return for a second year — at 84% in 2021, higher than 81% in 2020 but lower than 87% in 2019. Data has not been updated since 2021.

In a Dec. 13, 2023 article, Bloomberg listed the College as demonstrating “stress flags” placing it in danger of closing. One of these “stress flags” was falling yield rates for incoming classes. McCall’s Jan. 25 State of the College address mentioned these enrollment concerns; her administration is working to minimize the College’s current $5.5 million budget deficit.

However, concerns about the College’s budget and enrollment are not new. A Daily Record article from 2003 mentioned Wooster cutting 31 jobs in 2002; at that time, the College had a $1.3 million budget deficit and a 15% decrease in endowment.

In 2003, officials were feeling optimistic about the future of the College. Similarly, McCall expressed confidence in Finks in her email announcement. She noted that applications have increased by 300% since Finks began working at the College.
Cathy Finks and Jennifer Winge were contacted for comment about the College’s enrollment. The Voice has not received a reply from Winge at the time of writing, and was not able to talk to Finks by time of publication. The Voice will continue to report on the College’s enrollment in future issues.