Student enrollment is up at University of Alaska campuses overall, chancellors told the board of regents at their meeting Thursday. The news of overall 4.7% growth systemwide comes after a five-year downward trend in student enrollment. College enrollment has declined nationally over the last decade, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regent Karen Purdue said the growth reflects well on President Pat Pitney’s leadership and said there’s still work to do. “These growths are from a valley,” she said. “What’s reflected here is the confidence of the public in the ability of the university that we didn’t have over the past several years.”
