By Tory Hernandez
Arizona Daily Wildcat
September 26, 1997

Enrollment increase beats administrators' expectations

The largest freshman class of the 1990s gave UA enrollment an unexpected boost of 1 percent this year, contrary to the 2 percent drop administrators had expected.

The fall 1997 freshman class is 9 percent larger than last year's class, due in part to heavy recruitment efforts and increased financial aid offers, said Rick Kroc, director of student research.

Kroc said competition with Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University caused a large drop in enrollment last year.

"We were down so many students last year, and it's hard to turn that around," he said. "A small class effects enrollment for about five years."

Kroc said ASU and NAU were in stiff competition with the University of Arizona in terms of waivers and financial aid last year. But he said the UA was able to offer more aid to students this year, contributing to the increased enrollment.

Recruitment efforts for the fall 1997 class began a year ago, said Mary Simpson, assistant director of admissions and new student enrollment.

"We really tried to personalize what we do with students," she said. "This is a friendly institution, but it's also a very big institution."

Simpson said the admissions office concentrated on trying to attract the "very good students" from Arizona by adding more scholarship programs and staffing the office with more people.

Kroc said retention rates, which can be attributed to better faculty counseling and freshman colloquium, increased as well.

"I credit the admissions staff with getting the word out that the UA is a good place to go and is the preferred Arizona school," he said.

Total undergraduate minority enrollment also increased, raising the percentage of minority students above 25 percent of the student body.

"Once students realized there are other minority students who have done well and enjoyed it, they are more interested in the university," said Tanisha Price, admissions counselor.

More students also means more money from the state legislature, Kroc said.

Last spring, it was revealed that the university would experience a $1.8 million shortfall due to last year's decreased enrollment.

However, Kroc said enrollment has successfully eliminated any deficit and the university may actually get up to $1 million more than anticipated.

"This (enrollment) will definitely affect our future budget request," Kroc said.

There are a few more students on campus this year than expected.

Undergraduate enrollment 1996: 25, 293

Expected undegraduate enrollment 1997: 24,645

Actual undergraduate enrollment 1997: 25,617

Including graduate enrollment, there was a 1 percent increase in enrollment.