Andrew Selepak, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Media Production, Management, and Technology instructional assistant professor, is the author of the guest column “We Need to Start Talking About the Endangered Male on College Campuses” published in the Tampa Bay Times on Sept. 7.

Selepak comments on the growing gender gap on college campuses and how it can have far-reaching consequences.

“Males are becoming endangered on college campuses. In the spring of 2023, degree-granting colleges and universities throughout the U.S. enrolled nearly 17 million students — a decrease of about nine percent among undergraduates since 2019,” writes Selepak. “One of the main causes for this decreased enrollment is that males are skipping college altogether. Women are also more likely than males to graduate from college in four years.”

Selepak attributes the decrease to the economic recession and high inflation. Both made college less affordable. He writes that trust in academia and the value of higher education is another issue.

“It is true that not everyone wants to go to college, should go to college or is even prepared to go to college. But for those who do want to go and are prepared for college, the gender gap on college campuses has far-reaching consequences and it needs to be addressed,” he writes. “College is about more than just intellectual pursuits; it is also where people develop foundational platonic and romantic relationships. This is a particularly significant issue when it comes to men not attending college, as we also have a male loneliness epidemic in this country.”

According to Selepak, “We need more males on college campuses before the growing disparity reaches every position of influence in our society (from the courtroom to the operating room to the boardroom), and before our loneliness epidemic gets even worse than it already is.”

Posted: September 11, 2023
Category: Alumni News, College News
Tagged as: Andrew Selepak, Campus Gender Gap, College Enrollment Rates, Media Production Management and Technology