PSU announces record enrollment

Pittsburg State University reported on Sept. 21 that the university's fall enrollment of 6,859 students is the highest in Pittsburg State's history. The fall 2006 count broke a record of 6,751, which was set in 2002. Last fall, the PSU enrollment was 6,628. The 3.5 percent increase was the highest among the state's public universities, which include the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Wichita State University, Emporia State University and Fort Hays State University.

Pittsburg State University President Tom Bryant said the university's growth is a direct result of "combining strong academic programs and a great campus environment while remaining one of the most affordable institutions in the region."

According to the report that PSU submitted to the Kansas Board of Regents, the university saw growth in almost every area. Undergraduate enrollment is up 3.7 percent while graduate enrollment is up 2.6 percent. The most dramatic increases were in transfer enrollment, which jumped 13.4 percent from 539 to 611, and international enrollment, which was up 20.2 percent from 376 to 452 over the previous fall.

President Bryant said a comparison of the data on the university's full-time equivalent with headcount says a great deal about the nature of the university. The full-time equivalent is derived by dividing the total number of credit hours taught by 15, in the case of undergraduate students, and by 9 for graduate students. PSU's FTE for the fall 2006 semester is 6,371 compared to a headcount of 6,859.

"What that shows is that the great majority of our students continue to be full-time, on-campus students," Bryant said. "That is significant for the community because these students add so much to the economic and cultural life of the area."

PSU's on-campus enrollment increased by 234 students this fall to 6,399. Emporia State University's on-campus enrollment rose 159 to 4,973 and at Wichita State, on-campus enrollment rose 129 to 13,875. On-campus enrollment at KU was 27,668, down 77; 20,665 at K-State, down 200; and 4,502 at Fort Hays State, down 32.

Chuck Olcese, director of international programs and services, said the increase in international enrollment reflects the long recovery from the after effects Sept. 11, 2001.

"The federal government has made some corrections that have made the process to obtain student visas less complicated," Olcese noted.

Olcese also said that after 9-11, PSU representatives continued to travel and maintain international relationships, despite the relatively few students who were able to come to the U.S. to study.

President Bryant said that while the continuing growth in enrollment is good news for PSU and the community, it should not be the primary focus.

"Pittsburg State strives to provide high quality academic programs in an exciting and caring campus atmosphere," Bryant said. "At the same time, we work very hard to keep the costs of education down and to provide financial aid for deserving students. When we do those things well, more and more students make Pittsburg State University their first choice."

For more information on fall enrollment data for the Kansas Board of Regents universities, please visit the Kansas Board of Regents Web site.

---Pitt State---