Fall Enrollment Numbers Released

Utah State University experienced only a slight dip in its overall enrollment but the decline is insignificant from a broader perspective, said Raymond T. Coward, USU’s Executive Vice President and Provost.

Fall 2008 enrollment at USU totals 23,925 students across all campuses and in all course delivery modalities — down 496 students from last year.

 

When viewed from a historical perspective, even with this 2 percent decrease, USU experienced its second largest enrollment in its 120-year history, Coward said.

 

“USU continues to be the first choice of a large number of new students,” he said. “With approximately 3,000 new first-time undergraduate students enrolling at USU, almost 700 new graduate students, and nearly 1,500 new transfer students, we have a significant influx of new students to integrate into our multiple campuses and educational centers.”

 

The USU Logan campus experienced increases in the enrollment of many important categories of students. For example, compared to last year, the enrollment of transfer students was up (6.5 percent), the enrollment of new graduate students was up (12.2 percent), and the enrollment of minority students was up (20.4 percent).

 

“The total enrollment at the Logan campus, undergraduate and graduate students, continues to rebound from declines that occurred in the period 2002 to 2005” said Coward. “Students recognize the high quality education they can receive at USU at a very reasonable cost.”

 

USU leaders are also boasting the increase in out-of-state students. Approximately one in five (19.5 percent) of all of the new students at USU, combining all campuses and all levels of education, are from out-of-state, representing approximately 80 percent of the states across the nation.

 

“We are also proud to report an increase in the diversity of our student body at USU,” said Coward. “Approximately one in seven USU students is either an international student or a student from an underrepresented minority group. We have students representing 90 countries, and an increase enrollment in every minority group.”

 

Enrollment at USU’s regional campuses and distant education continues to expand.

 

The total enrollment at the regional campuses and in distance education offerings has more than doubled in the past 10 years,” said Ronda Menlove, vice provost for Regional Campuses and Distance Education. “This year, we experienced a 7.5 percent growth in the number of undergraduate enrollments at our regional campuses.”

 

Two of USU’s regional campuses experienced significant growth in their enrollments this year. The USU-Tooele Regional Campus, for example, reported a 20 percent increase — growing from 660 to 792 students. Similarly, the USU-Brigham City Regional Campus reported a 4.8 percent increase in their enrollments.

 

“USU’s three regional campuses and distance education programs continue to serve students throughout the state of Utah,” said Menlove. “Indeed, with new state support we have been able to expand the number of faculty at our regional campuses and increase the number and variety of educational programs that are available in those locales. In combination, these actions have fueled continued increases in our enrollments.”

 

Overall, USU has plenty to be proud of, especially about the quality of students being admitted. USU was able to grow in enrollments without compromising their academic standards. The mean ACT score of this year’s entering class was very close to an all-time high (only 1 percent below the best class ever admitted to USU).

 

“Utah State University continues to deliver courses to nearly 24,000 through our state-wide network of campuses, educational centers and institutional partnerships and through our expanding online course offerings,” said USU President Stan L. Albrecht. “These students are taught by a world-class faculty of scientists and scholars who are leaders in their fields of study while enthusiastically embracing their instructional responsibilities.”

 

Writer: Sarah Reale (435) 797-2759, sarah.reale@usu.edu
Contact: Provost Raymond T. Coward (435) 797-1167, raymond.coward@usu.edu