Penn State Meets Enrollment Plan Objectives, Romano Tells Board

November 16, 2001
University Park, Pa. — Penn State’s fall 2001 enrollment figures reflect the University’s continuing efforts to keep growth modest and controlled, Penn State’s Board of Trustees was told today (Nov. 16).

Penn State restructured its statewide system in 1996 to provide increased opportunities for students to complete their degrees at a campus other than University Park.

“Penn State is meeting its goals to stabilize enrollment at the University Park campus and to allow for modest growth in the number of juniors and seniors at other campus locations,” said John Romano, vice provost and dean for enrollment management. “University Park enrollment is within the targeted range, and upper division enrollment at the campus colleges has increased as planned due to the increase in the number of baccalaureate degree programs offered at the campuses.”

Romano reported that:

·      University Park enrollment is essentially flat and remains within the established 40,000-42,000 target range, at 40,828 — up 257 from fall 2000.

·      Overall University enrollment increased by 434 compared to last year, to a total of 81,704 — an increase of one-half of one percent. 

·      Overall enrollment at the campus colleges (excluding University Park, Hershey, Dickinson and the Pennsylvania College of Technology) remains steady at 34,148.

·      Baccalaureate and associate degree freshmen entering the University this summer and fall — a total of 14,363 — represent the largest class of new students to enter Penn State.

·      There has been an increase in the number of juniors and seniors enrolled at the campus colleges — a 13 percent increase over last year and a 58 percent increase since 1997.

“When the campus college structure was established several years ago, we expected more students would complete their baccalaureate degrees at the campuses and fewer students would be changing their campus assignment to University Park,” said Romano. “Clearly, this change is underway.”

Romano reported that annual change of assignment students to University Park decreased from 4,516 in 1997 to 3,670 last year. All Penn State baccalaureate students continue to move among all campuses of the University, including University Park, in accordance with long-standing policies regarding choice of campus at the upper-division level.

Minority enrollment systemwide continues to increase, Romano said. “In 1993, minority enrollment accounted for 8.3 percent of total University enrollment. This fall, minority enrollment represents 11 percent of the University's total enrollment.  Over the period, minority enrollment increased 52 percent,” Romano told the board.

Penn State’s official enrollment figures for fall 2001 were released Oct. 12.

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Contact:  Amy Neil (814-865-7517) office, or e-mail at aen4@psu.edu