By Rhiannon Saegert managing editor
Enrollment increased by 1.6 percent compared with last fall despite an unexpected monthlong delay prior to registration.
As of Aug. 25, 50,705 students had enrolled.
SE registrar Juan Torres said the delay left the registration office busier and more crowded than usual, but otherwise unaffected.
“You’ve closed the window of opportunity by 30 days. Of course, it’s going to have an impact,” he said.
Torres attributes SE Campus’ 5 percent increase to growth in Mansfield and Arlington.
“The gross population in this area has a lot to do with it,” he said. “Plus the tuition increases at most universities — the tuition is more reasonable here.”
He said enrollment in SE’s early high school and dual-credit courses also increased.
NE vice president of academic affairs Gary Smith said the job market is the most likely cause for the 1.7 percent decrease in NE enrollment.
“The job market is improving,” he said. “That always affects enrollment a little bit. When the job market is bad, people come back to school to retrain. When it picks up, they find jobs and they don’t come to school.”
South Campus’ enrollment increased by 1.8 percent while NW Campus’ increased by 2.8 percent.
Since TR Campus first opened, its enrollment numbers have steadily increased every year. As of Aug. 21, enrollment has increased by 7.8 percent.
“We’ll steadily keep climbing as students register for later terms,” TR vice president of academic affairs Bryan Stewart said. “Our dual-credit programs have grown and continue to grow.”
Like SE Campus, TR’s dual-credit and early high school course enrollment numbers have increased.
“Their increase is similar to the campus’ increase,” Stewart said. “Because we’re between all the campuses, our feeder high schools are in the immediate area around us.”
Stewart said the delay didn’t affect TR’s enrollment at all in the end.
