Some Tennessee Tech Trustees expressed concern about the mix of male and female students accepted to Tennessee Tech, but officials believe the University is performing well.
Media and Communications Director Jonathan Frank said Tech is a STEM-infused institution. Although more men accepted to Tech actually enroll than women, Frank said the College of Engineering is outperforming other schools in terms of female enrollment.
“Our yield rate for female applicants to the College of Engineering at Tennessee Tech is actually very healthy, and exceeds the university average,” Frank said. “So the College of Engineering at Tennessee Tech is doing a great job.”
Frank said this is against a nationwide trend of low female enrollment at STEM-infused schools, particularly in STEM programs. Last year’s Tech enrollment stood 55 percent male, 45 percent female.
“According to the World Economic Forum, women today only make up slightly more than a quarter of our STEM workforce,” Frank said. “So you can see why that could pose some challenges for higher ed as well. So this is a nationwide issue that’s much bigger than any one institution.”
Frank said institutions across the country are working to better understand this trend.
Frank said federal regulations prevent the school from targeting specific demographics, including gender. Frank said it is important for STEM students, regardless of gender, to know about the role models the program has to offer.
Frank said one example is Trudy Harper, a two time College of Engineering graduate and Tech’s current chair of the Board of Trustees. Frank said Harper is not only one of the nation’s energy leaders, but a passionate advocate for women in STEM.
Frank said Tech is trying to understand what makes students choose Tech over other colleges. Conversely, the school is looking into why students may favor enrollment another institution over Tech.
Frank said the school is constantly engaging students with surveys, focus groups, and other methods of data collection to help convey the right message in enrollment materials. He said it is important for prospective students to know about the wide variety of programs Tech has to offer.
“We have more than 225 fields of study,” Frank said. “We produce more teachers than any other institution in the state of Tennessee. We have an outstanding school of nursing. We have a growing college of Fine Arts. So we’re really working to communicate to students that whatever your intended program of study, there’s a place for you here at Tennessee Tech.”