UNT reaches all-time enrollment high for Fall 2003

According to the unofficial headcount after the 12th day of 2003 fall classes (Sept. 8), the UNT student population has climbed above the 31,000-student milestone to bring the highest fall enrollment numbers in the university's 113-year history — 31,112 students.

In Fall 2002, UNT's enrollment surpassed 30,000 students for the first time, but this year enrollment is 3.1 percent ahead of the 30,183 students officially counted last year. It amounts to an increase of 929 students.

Until the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board verifies enrollment numbers and makes them official later in the fall, all enrollment statistics are unofficial, 12th-class-day numbers.

"Our consistent enrollment growth demonstrates the strength of UNT's commitment to the statewide 'Closing the Gaps' effort and its ambitious goal to provide quality higher educational opportunities to growing numbers of Texans," says UNT President Norval Pohl.

"Some of our best news this year is reflected in the 13.8 percent increase in the number of new-from-high-school freshman students. Since our strategic recruitment and retention plans are working so well, I believe this bodes well for us for many years to come," Pohl says.

A concentrated team effort in the area of student recruitment since 1997 (involving individuals from many university departments) has guided UNT to a seventh consecutive year of increased enrollment. Enrollment was up 8.3 percent last year, 3 percent in 2001, 2.1 percent in 2000, 3.8 percent in 1999, 2 percent in 1998, and 0.2 percent in 1997. These increases reverse modest declines in enrollment between 1991 and 1996.

"Universitywide efforts have focused on retention of continuing students with special emphasis on new-from-high-school freshman retention (which is 75.1 percent as compared to 73.5 percent last year) and managed growth of new students including freshmen, transfers, graduate and minority students across all categories," says Joneel Harris, associate vice president of enrollment management and chair of the Enrollment Management Committee.

"We also are particularly pleased that we have a 5 percent (153-student) increase in African American enrollment and a 6.6 percent (175-student) increase in Hispanic students at UNT this fall," Harris says.

A look at the total undergraduate enrollment — up 5.6 percent at 23,895 – indicates UNT's sustained ability to recruit and retain students.

Breaking the undergraduate enrollment down by classification shows the 2003 fall freshman total of 5,532 is up 15.2 percent or 730 students. The number of sophomores (4,974) increased by 1.3 percent or 64 students. The number of juniors (5,501) is down 0.5 percent or 27 students. And senior numbers (7,888) are up 6.9 percent or 510 students. Student classification is based on the number of semester hours passed.

At the graduate level, the number of doctoral candidates (1,312) is up 2.9 percent or 37 students. The number of master's degree candidates (5,905) is down 6.1 percent or 385 students. However, this year's slight decline (and a significant 27 percent increase last year) can be directly traced to the number of students participating in a one-year grant program in the College of Education, according to Harris.

The enrollment total does not include 355 out-of-state students who are registered only for UNT courses offered on the Internet.

On-site enrollment at the UNT Dallas Campus is 1,208 students (accounting for 495 full-time equivalent or FTEs). This represents a 41 percent increase over the on-site enrollment last fall.

"This fall's numbers show that we have reached our enrollment projection goal of 1,200 in headcount and surpassed our projection of 400 full-time equivalent students," says John Ellis Price, vice provost for the UNT Dallas Campus.

Once the Dallas Campus enrollment reaches 1,000 full-time equivalent students, the UNT System can establish the University of North Texas at Dallas as a freestanding university and the first public university within the Dallas city limits.

BY RODDY WOLPER rwolper@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• Multimillion-dollar bequest creates new behavior analysis research program at UNT
• Legislative actions advance UNT Dallas project
• UNT celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
• Poet and essayist to speak at UNT Sept. 25
• Staff Council elects officers for 2003-04 year
• Families to share in Mean Green spirit Sept. 26-28
• Music industry supports musicians' health initiatives
• Interpretational change to holiday pay entitlement

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