Enrollment increased 0.6 percent this year across the Oregon University System, indicating slowing growth for the second year in a row, according to an OUS press release. The State Board of Higher Education met in Beaverton on Thursday and Friday to discuss enrollment numbers and educational costs at Oregon’s seven public universities, among other things.
Based on fourth-week enrollment numbers from the schools, there are now 80,066 students in the system compared to 79,558 in 2003, Director of OUS Institutional Research Bob Kieran said in the release. The increase is lower compared to gains seen between 1999 and 2002 — while enrollment increased by 6.3 percent and 5.7 percent in 2001 and 2002, respectively, campuses saw only a 1.9 percent increase in 2003.
The University reported an enrollment of 20,339 students in the fourth week of fall term, a 1.5 percent increase. While there were small increases in undergraduate, doctoral and professional students at the universities, there was a decrease in students enrolling for masters degrees. Also, the University’s international-student population decreased from 1,273 last year to 1,170 this fall, according to the Office of International Programs.
Kieran said reasons behind the inhibited growth are still under review. In the last two years, tuition increased an average of 21 percent across the university system, according to the release. And while campuses could depend on the state to cover 51 percent of educational costs in the 1999-2001 biennium, state support has dropped to just 36 percent for the 2003-2005 biennium, putting a greater burden on students.

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