YSU enrollment up 1.8% for fall semester

The official enrollment is
tallied on the 14th day of the semester.

YOUNGSTOWN — Monday marked the first day of classes for the fall semester at Youngstown State University, where enrollment is up 1.8 percent.

A brief news release from Ron Cole, YSU manager of news and information services, noted that the number of enrolled students is 13,242. That’s an increase of 233 students from 13,009 on the first day of 2006. About 800 students live in university housing.

Official enrollment is taken on the 14th day of the semester. If the numbers hold, YSU’s enrollment will have increased in six of the last seven years.

In 2005, the university experienced a drop to 12,812 students but in 2004 had 13,101 students. The fall 2006 enrollment, tallied after the 14th day of that semester, went up to 13,183. That was YSU’s highest enrollment in 11 years and represented a 2.9 percent increase from fall 2005.

Last year, YSU launched a concerted effort to boost numbers, focusing both on continuing students and incoming freshmen.

According to an analysis of enrollment figures released last year by the Ohio Board of Regents, YSU leads the state in the rate of enrollment growth over the last six years.

2000-06 increase

The number of students on campus has jumped 11.8 percent from fall 2000 with enrollment at 11,787 students to fall 2006 with 13,183 students. That was the largest percentage increase among the main campuses of the state’s 11 comprehensive public universities, according to the regents’ report.

In response to the regents’ report in 2006, Dr. David C. Sweet said, “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.”

This year, spring semester enrollment was 12,502, about 95 percent of fall enrollment. Spring enrollment is generally a bit lower.

But YSU had good news when it came to minority students. It reported a 7 percent increase of minority students, from 1,868 in 2006 to 1,996 for spring of this year. Minority enrollment has jumped from 759 students or 38 percent from spring 2001.

First-week activities

Incoming freshmen, other new students and returning students will be greeted by a host of activities this week.

Today’s activities include a Student Involvement Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside and inside of Kilcawley Center and a foam and dance party from 7 to 10 p.m. at Rec-5 (behind Kilcawley Center) sponsored by Campus Recreation and Student Programming; Wednesday will offer “Welcome to Fabulous Youngstown” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Kilcawley Center, YSUnity open house from 3 to 5 p.m. at Kilcawley and all-Greek cookout from 5 to 8 at the courtyard apartment recreation center; and Thursday will feature a Penguin Pre-party from 7 to 10 p.m. at Peabody’s in Kilcawley.

The first week of classes will conclude with fanfare and fun surrounding the football game between YSU and Ohio State University at noon Saturday in Columbus. The fall semester ends Dec. 16.