Enrollment at the University of Missouri is the lowest since 2010-11 and down 6.2 percent from last year, according to figures MU released Thursday.

MU said in a news release that the official enrollment figure for the 2016-17 academic year is 33,266, a decline of 2,182 from last year. The university has gained 489 students since classes began Aug. 22, the release said.

The enrollment decline was anticipated after protests over racial issues that brought a national spotlight to MU in November.

The number of black students on campus declined by 242 from last year, to 2,302, representing 6.9 percent of the student body. Last year, black students were 7.2 percent of the student body. The number of students from all minority groups declined by 358, figures in the news release shows, to 5,209, but the proportion of minority students remained unchanged at 15.7 percent.

In the news release, MU focused on the growth in retention rates for sophomores returning after their freshman year, which was the third-highest in school history at 85.7 percent.