September 7, 2004

Boise State Announces Increase In Fall Enrollment

In keeping with its plan to expand enrollment at a manageable pace, Boise State University reported a slight increase in its fall semester enrollment, bringing the total number of students to 18,456.   Boise State’s numbers mark the eighth consecutive fall in which the university has set an all-time state enrollment record. The enrollment is just nine students greater than last year, but it constitutes a record for an Idaho university.   In the past five years Boise State has grown by more than 2,500 students (an increase of 14 percent in headcount and 18 percent in full-time equivalent),  stretching the institution during a time of tight state budgets. Earlier this year the university stated it wanted to slow its annual growth to a rate of about 1 percent.   “Boise State University continues to set the standard for enrollment at universities and colleges in Idaho and fulfill its public purpose of providing higher education to a record number of students,” said Boise State President Bob Kustra. “Throughout the years, Boise State has met its obligations in accepting as many new students as we can accommodate. However, we need  to proceed with manageable growth that matches our institutional resources.   “We desire to provide academic opportunities, quality teaching and support for a growing economy, but we need a well-funded system of higher education. Currently we have a wish list of proposed degrees, programs and introductory courses, but we cannot add them to the curriculum because our funding has dwindled in recent years.”   The modest increase in enrollment came as no surprise to Mark Wheeler, Boise State’s dean of enrollment.   “Some of the reasons for slower growth are deliberate,” he said. “Classes at the undergraduate level are at or near capacity. We could not have supported another year of 3 or 4 percent growth.”   For the second consecutive year the university raised admission standards to where they are now the highest among Idaho’s public institutions, Wheeler said. “While this resulted in about 600 students being denied degree-seeking admission, it is resulting in students being more successful academically,” he added.   Wheeler also noted that Boise State posted a record percentage of freshmen who returned for their sophomore year. “Improving retention and graduation rates and intensifying efforts to help students succeed are important goals,” he said.   The report comes on the 10th day of classes in which the state’s institutions of higher education are required to report enrollment numbers to the State Board of Education.   Wheeler noted that despite the modest overall increase, enrollment in upper-division classes jumped 3.2 percent, which is an indication that students are not just taking classes at BSU, they are advancing toward attaining degrees.   “Our undergraduate credit-hour generation, traditionally bottom-heavy, is beginning to shift some toward the upper division,” he said.                         Other items of note:   • Undergraduate enrollment increased by 1.3 percent.   • Despite the increase in admission standards, the class of new academic freshmen grew by 3.2 percent to 2,165.   • The number of students taking “electronic campus” classes increased 10 percent to 2,038.   • There is more gender balance this year than in the past. Male enrollment increased by 600 while the number of females declined slightly. But the ratio is still 54 percent female to 46 percent male.   • The College of Arts and Sciences now has 28 percent of all majors. The colleges of Business and Economics, Health Sciences, and Social Science and Public Affairs each have 14 percent of all majors.     Contact: Mark Wheeler, dean of enrollment, 426-1630 Media contact: Frank Zang, marketing and communications, 426-5391