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Covering Dallas, Monmouth, Independence, Falls City and surrounding areas since 1868
MONMOUTH -- Western Oregon University's enrollment grew by 5.7 percent this fall, according to fourth-week statistics released by the Oregon University System on Nov. 10.
While slightly below the state's average, that jump has pushed the number of students at the Monmouth campus to a record 5,654, compared to 5,349 this time in 2008.
That's despite 20 fewer newly admitted students than last year; Western has a total of 1,481 new students, including 967 freshmen and 509 transfers.
"We've had continued success in retaining students," said Dave McDonald, associate provost. He added Western's four-year tuition rate guarantee has also helped.
Meanwhile, the number of full-time equivalent students -- those taking 15 or more credits -- has grown by 6.7 percent
"We're seeing students taking more credits, a reflection of the economy, or they're simply being more serious about school," McDonald said.
The overall number of students at Oregon's seven public universities grew to 91,850, a 5.8 percent increase from last year and a record high. That stems from people wanting to improve their career opportunities, said Bob Kieran, OUS assistant vice chancellor for research and planning.
"Ten year enrollment increases have trended higher than the national average for 4-year public universities by nearly 160 percent," Kieran said. "We have almost added the equivalent of another Portland State University in those 10 years -- the state's largest university -- increasing by over 24,000 students."
OUS' entering undergraduate and graduate class was the largest ever, 30,938, but first-time, resident freshmen fell by .8 percent, OUS said. Western saw a 3 percent increase.
But the university has 50 fewer nonresident students than 2008.
Of this year's incoming class, 831 of them are from Oregon, while the balance, are from California, Washington, Hawaii and Alaska. International enrollment, meanwhile, fell to 283 from 305 last year.
McDonald said the economy is a factor, as nonresident students from the United States pay 150 percent of Western's tuition rate. International students pay three times the normal rate.
"There's the financial part of it," he continued. "But, also, these students are bringing a whole set of experiences and perspectives from different parts of the country and globe."
"More students and families are looking to go to school closer to home because of a very shaky economy."
Data on Western's minority students as a percentage of total enrollment will be released next year, but McDonald said he believes that figure has jumped by about 15 percent for 2009. Non-white students make up 14 percent of the WOU's student body.
The university seems destined to reach 6,000 students in another year or so. A new residence hall and wellness center, both currently under construction, will offer enough living and classroom space between them to help accommodate the growth, McDonald said.
"We have enough physical space on our campus," McDonald said.
