The big day has arrived for Autumn Schwartz and her entire family.
On Tuesday, they packed up their car and drove more than six hours from Austin, Minnesota to Columbia, Missouri to move the soon-to-be freshman into her dorm.
“I got my computer and my clothes, my decorations for my room, a TV and I got a mini-fridge,” said Schwartz, who plans on majoring in journalism.
But this year, the University of Missouri is expected to see a drop in enrollment.
It's move-in day at the University of Missouri! This year, enrollment is lower than years past. @41ActionNews pic.twitter.com/5hcUYPYm45
— Ariel Rothfield KSHB (@arothfield) August 17, 2016
Last fall, a graduate student went on a hunger strike and students camped out in tents for weeks protesting social injustice on campus. The football team also threatened to boycott a game. Then-president Tim Wolfe ultimately resigned as did the Chancellor of the Columbia campus, R. Bowen Loftin.
“It didn’t deter me from coming back,” said Gabrele Banks, who will soon be starting her sophomore year.
41 Action News asked university representatives for specific enrollment numbers for fall of 2016. The assistant director of the communications department told us over the phone the exact numbers would not be made available until September as students are still enrolling. However, 41 Action News learned school officials expect enrollment to be around a 10-year low.
The school has closed three residential halls and repurposed one residential hall.
This year, 3 residential halls will be closed because "there's not a need" and 1 is being repurposed. @41ActionNews pic.twitter.com/4D1SwR2aKP
— Ariel Rothfield KSHB (@arothfield) August 17, 2016
Laws and Lathrop Halls were scheduled to be used part of the school year then later demolished, but school officials decided to vacate the buildings and move the demolition date up because “they did not need them.” Excellence Hall will be closed and Respect Hall will now be used for guest housing and for single graduate students.
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Ariel Rothfield can be reached at Ariel.Rothfield@KSHB.com.
