Penn State Meets Enrollment Plan Objectives, Romano Tells Board

November 17, 2000
University Park, Pa. — Penn State’s fall 2000 enrollment figures show that the University has once again met the major objectives of its well-defined, slow-growth enrollment management plan, Penn State’s Board of Trustees was told today (Nov. 17).

The plan calls for stable enrollments at the University Park campus and modest growth in the number of juniors and seniors at other locations. John Romano, Penn State’s vice provost and dean for enrollment management, reported that:

• University Park enrollment is essentially flat and remains within the established 40,000-42,000 target range, at 40,571 — down 87 from fall 1999.
• Overall enrollment at the campus colleges (excluding University Park, Hershey, Dickinson and the Pennsylvania College of Technology), increased 493 students or 1.5 percent over last year in accordance with the university’s plan for moderate growth.
• Within the overall campus college enrollment, upper-division enrollment increased from 6,172 to 6,600, an increase of 428 students or 7 percent over last year.
• All Penn State students continue to move freely among all campuses of the University, including University Park.

Romano also noted that the number of baccalaureate programs offered at campus colleges has increased modestly, under a 1996 restructuring that was intended to provide increased opportunities to upper-division students at locations other than University Park. A limited number of bachelor’s degree programs are offered at Penn State’s campus colleges — programs developed in response to local needs and with the encouragement of community leaders.

Overall system-wide enrollment has increased only modestly compared to last year, Romano said. "Since 1998, overall University enrollment has increased only three-quarters of one percent," Romano told the board.

Romano also reported increases in multicultural enrollment and international student enrollment.

"Managing enrollments at Penn State is a tricky enterprise and is sometimes a daunting challenge," Romano said. "That we have had success over the years is no doubt due to the excellent academic reputation that Penn State has earned. It is also due to many faculty, staff, students, alums, and friends of the University who each year help tell the story of Penn State."

Penn State’s official enrollment figures for fall 2000 were released Oct. 30.

Contact: Alan Janesch (814) 865-7517 or email at