WSU enrollment tops 15,000 for first time since 1992

By Joe Kleinsasser

In theory, when the economy goes south more students go to college.

Spring 2002 enrollment at Wichita State University is 15,049 students compared to 14,369 a year ago, an increase of 4.7 percent. It’s the highest student enrollment at WSU since 15,120 students enrolled in fall 1992. The spring 2002 enrollment is the highest spring enrollment since 1991 when 15,476 students were enrolled. It is believed to be the first time that spring enrollment exceeded fall numbers. There were 14,854 students enrolled in fall 2001.

WSU’s 680-student increase from spring 2001 is the greatest in the regents system. Kansas State was next with an increase of 664 students.

WSU students are enrolled in 141,772 credit hours this spring, an increase of 5.5 percent compared to a year ago and the highest spring total since 1991 when students enrolled in 144,051 credit hours.

The enrollment increase will have a positive financial impact on the university in its current fiscal year through June 30, according to Roger Lowe, vice president for administration and finance. However, it will have little impact on the current known budget cuts for 2002-2003 due to the state’s financial condition.

Ron Kopita, vice president for student affairs, attributes the significant enrollment increase to several factors, including the economy. Kopita says, "Historically when the economy goes down, college enrollments go up, particularly for metropolitan universities.

"In addition, Wichita State extended a helping hand through scholarships and career counseling to those who were laid off from their jobs as a result of the recent economic slowdown."

Kopita also says the Office of Admissions has developed a number of new initiatives and strategies in recent years to reach more prospective students.

Christine Schneikart-Luebbe, dean of enrollment services, says, "We’re thrilled with the enrollment numbers. We continue to encourage campus visits in the fall, and we offer scholarship incentives to high school students who graduate early as well as for those still in high school. We also had a returning adult student telethon that yielded positive results."

In his analysis of spring enrollment, university registrar Bill Wynne raises the question, "Which comes first, more course offerings or more enrollments?"

This spring Wichita State offered 2,510 sections of regular lecture/lab courses compared to 2,147 sections in spring 2001.

Rather than add sections late when classes are filled, Wynne encourages colleges to promote more classes in the Schedule of Courses. "If students know there are more sections available, there’s a greater likelihood that they’ll enroll in the class," says Wynne. "It’s preferable to offer more classes in the Schedule of Courses and drop them if there aren’t enough students than to add sections as classes are filled."

One of the more dramatic enrollment increases is in off-campus course hours. That number jumped 40.2 percent from 2,069 in spring 2001 to 2,902 this spring. The major reason for the spike is due to high school students taking concurrent enrollments in basic skills courses such as mathematics, English and communications. A concurrent enrollment allows a student to take a high school class and get college credit as well.

More than 75 returning adult students with college degrees have enrolled at Wichita State this spring to pursue a teaching career, according to Bob Lane, coordinator of alternative certification. Thirteen of those students are benefiting from a recently announced scholarship initiative that helps laid-off aerospace workers and others with an interest in teaching. The Wichita Aerospace Transition to Teaching Program was established in December as a partnership between Raytheon Aircraft, WSU, the city of Wichita and Wichita area schools to address the area-wide problem of teacher shortages. Lane anticipates that more adult students will benefit from the scholarships this summer and fall.

Wichita State has enrolled 665 transfer students, nearly an 8 percent increase compared to spring 2001.

The official enrollment figures are not a complete reflection of total semester enrollment because of flexible class schedules, according to university officials. Students who enroll after the 20th class day for courses are counted in a supplemental enrollment report at the end of the semester.