YSU tops state list in enrollment growth

YSU's enrollment growth outpaced such schools as Ohio State and Kent State.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State University leads the state in the rate of enrollment growth over the last six years.
The number of students on campus has jumped 11.8 percent from fall 2000 to fall 2006, the largest percentage increase among the main campuses of the state's 11 comprehensive public universities, according to an analysis of enrollment figures released by the Ohio Board of Regents.
A news release from YSU said that Wright State University's 11-percent growth rate is the second highest over the six-year period, followed by Ohio State University (8.1 percent), Bowling Green State University (5.5 percent), University of Cincinnati (4.9 percent), Ohio University (4.1 percent), Kent State University (2.9 percent) and the University of Akron (2.4 percent.)
Cleveland State University (-6.1 percent), Miami University (-3.1 percent) and the University of Toledo (-0.6 percent) are the only universities with a net loss of students over the six years, according to OBOR figures.
"YSU's leadership in enrollment growth is a reflection of our commitment to making higher education more accessible and increasing educational attainment levels in Northeast Ohio and the state," YSU President David C. Sweet said.
The fall 2006 enrollment of 13,183 is YSU's highest in 11 years and represents a 2.9 percent increase from fall 2005.
Also in report
The OBOR report also shows:
*Overall enrollment in Ohio's public universities and colleges increased 0.3 percent in the past year to 457,322, just slightly less than the highest enrollment mark of 457,333 in fall 2004. Leading the enrollment growth were the state's technical colleges (up 4.6 percent) and university main campuses (up 0.8 percent). On the other hand, enrollment at university branch campuses fell 0.9 percent and community college enrollment dropped 1 percent.
*Enrollment at the KSU Trumbull branch dropped 4.1 percent from fall 2005 to this fall. Since 2000, enrollment at the Trumbull campus has fallen by 518 students (2,331 to 1,813) or 22.2 percent. Enrollment at KSU's East Liverpool branch dropped 2.5 percent from last fall to this fall, but it remains 23.8 percent higher than six years ago. At the Salem branch campus, enrollment dropped 0.6 percent this year from last, but it's still 13.3 percent higher than six years ago, according to the YSU news release.