As students returned back to Central Michigan University this fall, the university is reporting to have 13,524 students, compared to 14,171 at the end of fall 2025, a 4.6% reduction.
University officials are attributing the decline to a decrease in international students, a trend impacting universities across the country as these students struggle to obtain visas.
According to data from CMU, there are currently 713 international students this year, which is around 500 less students than the previous year.
"We're not alone in that, our international students, are inability to get visas has impacted us," CMU President Neil MacKinnon said at Thursday's board of trustees meeting. "As trustee [Regine] Beauboeuf mentioned, we've lost about a thousand international students in two years."
Board of Trustees Vice Chair Edward Plawecki added that these circumstances are out of the board's control.
"The board and the administration are well aware of this fall's enrollment numbers and what it means not only to Central Michigan, but to also the Mount Pleasant community," Plawecki said at the meeting.
Reporting from Inside Higher Ed found that new student visas dropped 23% in 2025. The story said data was supposed to stay the same until Republican President Donald Trump paused all student visa interviews to implement new social media screenings for those applicants.
At Thursday's meeting, the trustees reassured attendees that CMU's finances are in good standing as the board continues to try and boost enrollment on campus.
"But I can assure you serving as the chair of finance for the last six to seven years and facilities that CMU's financial condition is currently very strong and our credit rating is very high," Plawecki said.
Trustees also spoke about the new strategic plan to improve student enrollment. According to a statement from CMU, the Strategic Enrollment Management Plan is geared toward strengthening recruitment and retention efforts. Members of the board also touted the university's positive growth in community college transfers to CMU and overall domestic student enrollment.
“This is an exciting time for CMU and the SEM plan, which will be implemented over the next five years to help us grow enrollment to between 15,700 and 17,000 students,” Jennifer DeHaemers, vice president for student recruitment and retention, said in the statement.
One of the initiatives is the Central Career Guarantee, a program started earlier this year, that promises students $2,000 if they can't get a job or enroll in a graduate program six months after graduating.
During the meeting, Todd Anson, a former trustee and longtime Mount Pleasant business leader, voiced concerns about the direction of the university. He also read a letter from Republican State Sen. Roger Hauck about the university's impact on the economy.
“People here care about CMU. They care about the future and want to see it succeed,” Hauck’s letter said. “I believe there is a real opportunity for the university, local businesses, community leaders and residents to continue working together on behalf of Mount Pleasant and Central.”
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