Record-enrollment draws smiles, praise

Each UCCS college posted generous enrollment increases this fall with Letters, Arts and Sciences leading in credit hours generated and the School of Public Affairs with the largest percentage gain.

Steve Ellis, interim associate vice chancellor, Student Success, provided a closer look at details of the university’s record-setting enrollment of 8,464 following the Sept 10 official census. His analysis showed across-the-board positive trends including headcount, student credit hours, and enrollment of minority students.

“These increases represent a concerted effort across campus to provide quality academic programs, maintain small class sizes, improve services to students, keep tuition affordable and improve access and support for our students during difficult economic times,” Ellis said. “I want to offer special thanks to all who added students to sections, made phone calls, hosted tours, assisted with orientation, helped with campus move-in, teach freshman seminar, advised students, welcomed our new and returning students and more. We can all share in this collective successful effort.”

In the all-important student credit hour analysis, each UCCS college posted increases. Student credit hours measures the number of courses in which students enroll and is the basis for state support to UCCS. Overall, student credit hours increased by 6,119 to 97,545, a 6.7 percent increase. Individual college results were:

The number of students who self-identify as members of an ethnic minority group also increased in 2009. Compared to 2008, 154 more minority students enrolled, a 10.6 percent increase bringing total enrollment of minority students to 1,604. Minority students are 19 percent of the campus population

Other enrollment highlights include:

• Men: 3,702, up 8 percent
• Women: 4,762, up 5.1 percent
• Average credit hour load: 11.52, up .3%
• Undergraduates: 6,770, up 4.3%
• Graduates: 1,694, up 15.6%

To see a KOAA feature about UCCS' record enrollment, click here (Quicktime required).