New Higher Education Collaborative Launches to Address Declining Male Enrollment and Achievement Rates

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – (October 22, 2024) – The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT) and the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM), today announced the launch of the Higher Education Male Achievement Collaborative (HEMAC), a joint initiative bringing together a diverse group of leaders committed to addressing declining male achievement rates in higher education. Since 2010, college enrollment has dropped by 1.2 million students, including a staggering 1 million men. Men now account for just 2 out of 5 college degrees, fewer than the share women received in 1972, and are seven percentage points more likely to drop out of school than women. Many men are also facing mental health challenges, including in higher education institutions: suicide rates among young men have risen by 30% since 2010.

Richard Reeves, founding president of AIBM, a senior fellow at Brookings, and a renowned author, has dedicated much of his career to studying the challenges specific to boys and men. Reeves has become a leading voice advocating for solutions to the male achievement crisis in education, and his book, Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It, was recently featured on President Obama’s Summer Reading List. AIBM has published numerous research briefs on this topic, including reports on declining black male enrollment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and trends in male enrollment and completion rates.

"The data is clear - men, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, are falling behind in higher education at an alarming rate. This isn’t just a statistical issue; it's a societal challenge,” said Reeves. “Our goal with HEMAC is to ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive, and we firmly believe that we can do more for men without doing less for women and girls. I’m grateful for the institutions and leaders who have joined us as inaugural partners and hope that others who are dealing with these challenges on their campuses will get involved as well. We can all learn from each other as we seek to promote the academic success of men across the nation.”

UT has long been recognized for its institutional depth and leadership in addressing challenges in higher education. The university has an institution-wide commitment to student retention and student success that has culminated in a 91.9% first-year retention rate for the class of entering students in 2023. UT is uniquely positioned to lead on the critical issue of male achievement, a challenge it is proactively working to address on its campus.

“At the Baker School, we are committed to public problem-solving, and the data is clear that the challenges facing men in college, from declining enrollment and graduation rates to mental health, are real and persistent,” said Marianne Wanamaker, Dean of the Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Tennessee. “Our student success colleagues at UTK are actively engaged in finding solutions to the problem. We think this is a terrific opportunity to bring together like-minded organizations to share best practices, research, and lessons learned, and are grateful for the leadership of Richard and all of the founding partners who have joined our effort.”

HEMAC launches with nearly two dozen inaugural partners, including two- and four-year institutions, academic leaders, and other mission-aligned nonprofits from across the country. Click here to view the full partnership list.

HEMAC will host a series of virtual events featuring keynote speakers and panel discussions highlighting research, real stories, and actionable strategies to improve male student outcomes.  Partners also receive access to resources and collaborative opportunities, including a shared online learning community, research, toolkits, reference material, and more to support and strengthen their efforts to address the unique challenges male students face in higher education.

For more information about the Higher Education Male Achievement Collaborative, visit menincollege.org.

About the Higher Education Male Achievement Collaborative (HEMAC)
The Higher Education Male Achievement Collaborative (HEMAC), a joint initiative of the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM) and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, brings together a diverse group of partners committed to addressing the issue of declining male achievement rates in higher education. Launched in fall 2024 with nearly two dozen inaugural partners, HEMAC fosters collaboration through its shared online learning community, regular webinars, reference materials and resources, and an annual summit. For more information about partnership, please visit menincollege.org.