East Tennessee State University’s total enrollment continued on its four-year downward trend this semester, a decline accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, but freshman enrollment surpassed pre-pandemic levels — giving university leadership cause for optimism heading forward. Overall enrollment, which declined by 1.1% from 2017 to 2019, was down to 13,120 students for the fall semester, a 9% drop from 2019 and 423 fewer students than in the spring. Freshmen enrollment was up to 2,061 students — a 15.3% increase from 2019 despite a drop in 2020.
