Data released this week by the Utah System of Higher Education shows that enrollment is up at nearly every state college and there are no signs of slowing down.
This year there are nearly 5,000 additional students at Utah colleges. Last year that number was about the same.
“This is really right in line with our 10-year projections which are that we will grow by about 60,000 students in the next decade," says David Buhler, Utah’s Commissioner of Higher Education.
That’s the equivalent of two University of Utah’s. And that’s a conservative estimate.
As of right now there are no plans to build any new public universities. Schools are simply making do. But Buhler says there are some growing pains.
Like with internet. These days students have two or three devices connected to WiFi at any given time - and there are more of them - so providing that service has been a struggle.
Also, faculty. 60,000 more students means thousands more teachers, and it’s unclear where they will all come from.
But Buhler isn’t too worried. At a time when some states are seeing their public schools shrink, he’s happy with the problems Utah has.
