For the first time in three years, the number of students attending the University has declined, signaling a shift in administrative policy toward capping and balancing enrollment.
Admissions projected an enrollment of 20,400 students for this year, but 20,033 enrolled, according to fourth-week figures. Director of Admissions Martha Pitts said the number was not surprising because admissions was attempting to stabilize enrollment to between 20,000 and 21,000.
“We have been working to manage enrollment,” she said, adding that cuts in state support to higher education and the resulting bad press Oregon universities have received, as well as increases in tuition, may have also caused fewer students to enroll.
“We actually came very close to our goal given all that negative publicity,” she said.
Despite the decrease in enrollment, the University has one of its most diverse student populations this year and has enrolled a freshman class with one of the highest GPA averages in the University’s history.
The number of students of color is up from 12.6 percent last year to 13.01 percent this year. The average GPA for incoming freshmen is at 3.54, up from last year’s 3.47 and 3.39 four years ago.
“Both of those really enhance the quality of education,” Pitts said.
She said diversity and freshmen academic strengths benefit all students at the University because they will be studying with academically curious students, as well as students from different backgrounds and cultures.
Senior Vice President and Provost John Moseley said given the current economic climate, he views enrollment this year as a success because it was so close to last year’s number of 20,044.
“We were trying to reduce students to provide quality education,” he said, adding that it is important for admissions to maintain a stable and balanced enrollment.
“We’re pretty close to where we needed to be and wanted to be,” he said.
Director of first-year programs Marilyn Linton said she has heard positive reviews coming from faculty who teach freshmen classes. She said this year’s freshmen seem to be highly engaged and motivated during class.
“It probably does all translate into a better class experience for all students,” she said.
As for diversity, Office of Multicultural Affairs Director Carla Gary said she views the enrollment rise as a good chance for all students to experience multiple voices and backgrounds. She said she credits the increase to the University’s outreach efforts as well as word of mouth.
“This is really important for the campus, period,” she said, adding that there are different ways to view the increase.
Gary said in terms of actual numbers — with 2,607 students of color in a population of more than 20,000 — people might say the increase is “almost negligible.” However, she said another way to view the increase is “we’re not losing students (of color), we’re gaining.”
She said while the increase is a good step toward assuring a diverse campus, creating an atmosphere in which students of color want to remain at the University is key.
“The hard task is keeping people here,” she said.