Cleveland State University is reshuffling its roster in a hurry, naming Dr. Andrew Crawford as vice president of enrollment management as the campus grapples with falling headcount and a growing tuition shortfall. The move follows a year in which overall enrollment slipped and international recruitment dropped sharply, creating a multimillion dollar gap in the budget. During the transition, Provost Nigamanth Sridhar will provide interim oversight of the enrollment division while the university completes its approval process.
Board Sign-off and Countdown to March 9
In a message to campus, Cleveland State said Dr. Andrew Crawford is slated to begin March 9 as vice president of enrollment management, pending ratification by the CSU Board of Trustees at its next meeting. The university noted that Provost Nigamanth Sridhar will lead the Division of Enrollment Management in the interim and that Crawford emerged from a nationwide search. According to Cleveland State University, Crawford brings about two decades of enrollment experience and will concentrate on community partnerships and student success.
Fast Turnover in CSU's Enrollment Shop
Crawford’s appointment arrives not long after the exit of Dr. Randall (Randy) Deike, who was hired in July 2024 and is no longer with the university, according to prior reporting. Crain's Cleveland Business reported that Deike had previously served at CSU from 2019 to 2020 and that trustees were later told early applications were trailing the previous year’s pace. The swift changeover has sharpened questions about how CSU will stabilize recruitment for the coming admissions cycles.
Enrollment Slump by the Numbers
Statewide data reported by News 5 Cleveland show total fall enrollment at Cleveland State slid to about 13,107 students, roughly 1,100 fewer than the prior year. The incoming freshman class landed at roughly 3,300 students, about 300 below projections. The same data show international enrollment fell by about one third at CSU, intensifying the revenue hit to campus operations. That mix has left administrators recalibrating recruitment plans and updating fiscal forecasts on the fly.
Enrollment Drop Becomes a Budget Problem
Local reporting has put the enrollment shortfall’s fiscal impact at around $5.5 million in lost tuition revenue, and university leaders have cited visa backlogs and disruptions tied to CSU’s partnership with Shorelight as key drivers of the international decline. As detailed by Crain's Cleveland Business, those pressures, combined with a softer domestic pipeline, pushed university officials to accelerate leadership changes in enrollment.
Crawford's Playbook and marching Orders
Dr. Crawford currently serves as associate vice president for strategic enrollment management in Kent State University’s regional campus system and has previously held roles at Cuyahoga Community College, Ohio State University and Ohio University, according to his professional profile and the CSU announcement. AACRAO notes his experience in designing systemwide enrollment plans. In the university’s message, Crawford said he is “excited to join the enrollment management team” and wants to collaborate with campus and community partners to expand access for students in Northeast Ohio.
The Board of Trustees is expected to consider Crawford’s ratification at its March meeting, and if approved he will start on March 9. Campus leaders say the rapid change is intended to steady recruiting ahead of the next admissions cycle and to bring financial planning for the coming year into clearer focus.
