Indiana lawmakers on Feb. 5 removed part of a bill that would have required public universities to enroll half of their first-year students from in-state.
Instead, should the bill pass, universities would be required to submit an annual report about the number of in-state students at their schools to the state Commission for Higher Education.
“We want to take a hard look at the enrollment at an institutional level,” said Sen. Greg Goode, R-Terre Haute, who is carrying the bill. He previously worked in government relations and communications for Indiana State University.
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The changes to Senate Bill 448 come after a number of lawmakers and officials expressed concern over the in-state quota in a Jan. 22 committee meeting, including a representative from Purdue University.
The requirement would have mostly affected Purdue University and Indiana University Bloomington — the two state schools that attract the most out-of-state students. In fall 2024, 55% of IU Bloomington’s first-year class was from Indiana, while 41% of Purdue’s first-year class were Indiana residents.
Should the bill pass, it would also require public colleges to submit enrollment data on a variety of other topics, including student citizenship and dual enrollment.
The legislation is a priority bill for the Commission for Higher Education and the state Department of Education. It includes several other policy proposals aimed at increasing Indiana’s college attainment rates and getting Hoosiers into high-paying jobs, including:
- Requiring the state to submit a plan on how to increase credentials in high-demand industries
- Mandating that public institutions submit information about compensation and job placement when adding a new degree or academic program
- Calling for the state to review degree programs every 10 years
SB 448 passed out of the Committee on Education and Career Development unanimously Feb. 5. Next, the bill will go to the Committee on Appropriations.
Claire Rafford covers higher education for Mirror Indy in partnership with Open Campus. Contact Claire at claire.rafford@mirrorindy.org or on Instagram/X/Bluesky @clairerafford.
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