Where Have All the Students Gone? Strategies for Tackling Falling Enrollments

As most of us are well aware, enrollments in information technology-related academic programs have declined sharply since the late 1990’s. This paper addresses possible causes of the enrollment decline, and dispels “myths” regarding IT-related careers. The authors report on a number of efforts underway at various universities to redesign core curriculum and develop secondary programs. They also describe marketing and promotion approaches undertaken by universities and professional organizations in the field. Finally, the authors call for more cooperative and coordinated efforts to address the underlying problems that have led to the current enrollment declines.