MSU-Bozeman enrollment remains stable

10/04/01 Bozeman - Montana State University-Bozeman's enrollment remains stable with 11,745 students officially enrolled.

This fall's enrollment is down slightly from fall semester 2000's figure, which was recorded at 11,761 students.

"Our job has just begun," said MSU President Geoffrey Gamble. "The priority now is to do everything we can to retain these students that have joined us. I'm very encouraged by the responsiveness of our faculty and our staff in contributing to this priority I have placed on supporting student success."

"This number is good news for our campus. We had projected an enrollment decline of 200 students because of declining numbers of high school graduates in Montana," said Allen Yarnell, vice president for student affairs at MSU.

The number of Montana residents enrolled at MSU has increased this fall by 159 students, while the number of nonresident students has decreased 175. The 8,830 resident students at MSU this fall account for nearly 75 percent of the total number of enrolled students.

"Montanans continue to choose to come here and remain here in solid numbers, and that's a great testament to our academic programs and our university," said Yarnell.

The freshman enrollment count, including all students with freshman standing, has remained steady this fall compared to last year. Last year's freshman class was 3,431, this year's is 3,411.

Gamble said he was encouraged with the enrollment figures, particularly the percentage of resident students joining the freshman class.

The financial marker of full-time equivalency (FTE) is down by four full time students from last year. The FTEs for fall semester 2001 are 10,218. That figure is determined, in part, by averaging total number of credits taken by MSU students and is used to determine state funding.

According to Chuck Nelson, registrar and director of enrollment services at MSU, the university had projected that number would be down because of the decline in high school graduates.

Send questions or comments to Carol Schmidt: cschmidt@montana.edu. Or you can send letters to Carol Schmidt, MSU Communications Services, 416 Culbertson Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717.

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