John Yarumian, a Rhode Island College student, says he was happy to find an empty outlet for his computer at the snack bar in the RIC Student Union building in Providence.

The Providence Journal / Bob Thayer

PROVIDENCE — Enrollments at the state’s three public colleges hit a record high this fall, with 43,412 students attending the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and the Community College of Rhode Island, even as state support for the institutions continues to decline.

State higher education officials said they had expected an increase because of the severity of the recession and the state’s high unemployment, factors that often prompt higher numbers of people to enroll in college courses.

The last time enrollment approached this level was in 1992, when Rhode Island was suffering through the banking crisis and a deep recession. At that time, enrollments at the three public institutions peaked at 43,275.

High enrollments are a double-edged sword for the public colleges, said Steven J. Maurano, acting higher education commissioner. The colleges need healthy enrollments to stay afloat, but large numbers of students need more services. The colleges are straining to offer enough sections of popular courses, he said, and due to cuts in staff positions, many students face long waits for help with class schedules, financial aid and other issues.

“The three public institutions … continue to do a remarkable job of increasing enrollment and providing greater access to Rhode Islanders for postsecondary education,” said Frank Caprio, chairman of the Board of Governors for Higher Education. “… The higher education system has been hit very hard by this recession. We have lost almost $36 million in state appropriation since fiscal year 2007, and our institutions are working hard to achieve more with fewer financial and human resources.”

Caprio said 330 positions remain vacant at the public colleges to save money.

In addition, the colleges have increased tuition and fees nearly 10 percent for the past two years to make up for the drop in state funding.

Compared with fall 2008, URI has added 488 students, for a total of 16,392 students, about 10,000 of whom are in-state. RIC added 175 students, for a total of 9,260, and CCRI added 148 students, for a total of 17,760.

“It’s absolutely putting a strain on our institutions,” Maurano said. “Most of the positions we’ve kept vacant are staff and administrative positions, but that also has an impact on students.”

Students seeking help at CCRI’s enrollment services, for example, might have to wait 45 minutes or longer, as half the staff positions in that department have been cut. “So many of our students have jobs and are on tight schedules, to be so thinly staffed sets a dangerous precedent,” he said.

CCRI President Ray DiPasquale said that 2,000 more students tried to enroll at the community college, but were turned away when they were unable to pay their bills.

“We couldn’t have accommodated them,” DiPasquale said. “I wouldn’t have been able to add enough sections. This is one of the toughest years we’ve had.”

Some colleges, nervous about a potential dip in new students because of the sagging economy, moved aggressively to recruit and retain students this year. RIC succeeded all too well, according to Ron Pitt, vice president for academic affairs.

Not only did more students select RIC, one of the most affordable colleges in the state, but existing students signed up for more credits, in some cases because they were unable to find part-time jobs.

RIC is offering 20 extra sections of popular freshmen courses and was able to hire 10 new faculty, after many veteran professors took an early retirement package. But classes and residence halls are full to the brim, Pitt said in an earlier interview.

The state has cut RIC’s budget by $4.4 million over the past three years. Enrollment increases from 2008

URI  16,392  488

RIC  9,260  175

CCRI  17,760  148

jjordan@projo.com