Please see links below
TO: Board of Regents
FROM: Richard A. Crofts, Commissioner
SUBJECT: Fiscal Year 2000 Enrollment and Tuition Revenue Projections
DATE: November 3, 1999
I have attached several reports, which show our projections of FTE enrollment and
tuition revenue for the current year. You have no doubt read press reports of the
enrollment and financial problems that some of our institutions are facing. The enclosed
reports should provide you a reference point for understanding the financial situation at
each of our campuses and for the system as a whole.
Before examining the detail of these reports, some general observations are in order:
- Our resident enrollments are virtually identical to our projections (+4 out of over
24,000);
- Graduate resident enrollment is significantly up and undergraduate resident is down by
almost the same amount;
- Virtually all of the budget difficulties you hear discussed in the media are the result
of not meeting projections in non-resident enrollment (almost 500 FTE - - 350 FTE at
Missoula);
- Resident FTE enrollment is at its highest level ever;
- It appears likely that the university system will not be reverting money to the State
because of insufficient resident enrollment. However, enrollment at the three community
colleges is down by 139 FTE (6.7%) and they will be facing reversion of dollars to the
State.
The first report is entitled "Fiscal Year 2000 Enrollment and Revenue
Projections". The first page summarizes FTE enrollment and tuition revenues for the
system and the following pages summarize FTE enrollment and tuition revenues by campus.
- "Actual FY99" shows the official Fiscal Year Full Time Equivalent (FYFTE)
enrollments, broken down by resident students, nonresident students, and WUE students;
- "Projected FY00" shows the enrollment we are projecting for the Fiscal Year
2000, based on actual enrollments for Summer Term 1999 and Fall Term 1999 and Spring 2000
enrollments multiplied by a historical ratio of fall to spring enrollments;
- The "Funding Model/Proj" column shows the numbers of resident and WUE students
that were funded in the cost of education model for FY2000. The nonresident number in this
column is the FTE number each campus estimated after the Legislative Session;
- "Difference From FY99" is the difference between our FY2000 projections and
the FY1999 actual FTE enrollments;
- "Difference From Funding" is the difference between our FY2000 projections and
the "Funding Model/Proj" column FTE.
The columns under "Tuition Revenue" identify:
- "Projected FY00" shows each campus’ estimate of their tuition revenues
for FY 2000, both net of fee waivers and fee waivers;
- "Operating Budgets" reflects the amount of net tuition revenue and fee waivers
the campuses included in their FY2000 operating budgets that you approved in November;
- "Difference" shows the dollar amounts the projected revenues of the campuses
are expected to be over or under their operating budget levels.
The second report is entitled "Student FTE – Resident/Non Resident, Graduate
& Undergraduate Categories". This report provides you with more enrollment detail
than the first. In addition to the columns described in the first report, this document
shows FY1998 actual FTE enrollment. Instead of summarizing total resident, total
nonresident and WUE students by campus, this report presents the detail of college of
technology, undergraduate, and graduate students.
I should caution you that what we are presenting for FY2000 are estimates. We are
estimating Spring Term enrollments and tuition revenues based on history. Our actual
numbers could be quite a lot better (or worse.) The reality, however, is that our campuses
must make plans for Fiscal Year 2000 based on projections. I hope these reports provide
you with sufficient information to have discussions with the Presidents, Chancellors, and
Deans about their plans to align Fiscal Year 2000 expenditures with projected revenues.
University of Montana
Montana State University
Montana University System
All Montana Higher Education FTE