Rise in enrollment exceeds state average

The statewide increases reflect a weak economy, said the chancellor.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Numbers released by the Ohio Board of Regents this week show fall 2002 enrollment at YSU increasing by double the increase at other four-year universities across the state.
The report of preliminary figures shows that enrollment at the state's four-year public universities increased by 1.8 percent to 250,416 between fall 2001 to fall 2002. YSU's enrollment increased 3.7 percent to 12,698.
This is the second consecutive year that YSU's fall enrollment exceeded the state average for public universities, university officials said.
The administration of YSU President David C. Sweet has focused on increasing enrollment, with a goal of 3 percent increases per year for the next several years.
"It's critical that we focus on enrollment, both in serving the needs of area residents and also in maintaining and enhancing the quality of our academic programs," Dr. Sweet said in a prepared statement.
The cause
The sluggish economy and increased recruitment and retention efforts helped raise enrollment across the state, said Roderick G.W. Chu, regents chancellor, in a press release. Enrollment typically rises during economic downturns, as frustrated job seekers decide to upgrade their skills, he added.
"We must look positively upon these numbers as proof that many more Ohioans are now making the connection between higher education and a better quality of life," he said. "But, we also must remember that these increases are not funded. Higher education's budget has been cut, not increased, and these enrollments put an added strain on the already scarce resources of our campuses."
Tuition increase
Many schools, including YSU, have increased tuition in response to state cuts, prompting state lawmakers to threaten re-imposing a state tuition hike cap that was lifted last year.
YSU this fall raised tuition by 8.9 percent, the biggest one-time increase in a decade.
The total preliminary head count at all of Ohio's post-high school institutions of learning is 449,113, a 3.7 percent increase over last fall. This fall marks the fifth straight year that the number has increased. Enrollment is up by slightly more than 40,000 students over the past five years, the report said, after failing to increase from 1991 to 1998.
The regents also reported that enrollment is up for the 17th straight year at the state's private colleges and universities, with 125,086 students this fall, up 1.8 percent.