Enrollment growth at YSU would bring new revenue

By Harold Gwin

A modest 0.6 percent increase would mean about $800,000 in new revenue.

YOUNGSTOWN — Anticipated enrollment growth for fall classes at Youngstown State University could bring some much-needed new revenue as the university works to finalize a $149.5 million general fund budget for 2009-10.

If there is enrollment growth, that will help the overall budget picture, said Scott Schulick, chairman of the YSU Board of Trustees.

A projected modest 0.6 percent enrollment increase could translate into about $800,000 in additional funds.

Final-day enrollment at the university for the fall 2008 term showed 13,586 full- and part-time students on campus (down 126 from the number enrolled at the start of the fall 2008 term). That produced a full-time equivalent enrollment of 10,818, with full-time being based on 15 credit hours per semester.

The university prepares its budget on a “no enrollment growth” basis, which means the new budget is predicated on that same 10,818 full-time equivalent enrollment. Any additional students means additional revenue not already allocated in the new budget.

YSU is anticipating the total head count to reach 13,664, considered a moderate growth projection from the end of the fall 2008 semester, and that equals a full-time equivalent count of 10,931, according to a report presented to the YSU Board of Trustees by Thomas Maraffa, special assistant to President David C Sweet.

One full-time equivalent produces some $7,000 in revenue, so the projected additional 113 full-time equivalents translates into about $800,000.

Reaching the higher enrollment number seems a strong possibility, based on the fact that YSU enrollment has been rising in each of the last four years and is up by about 1,500 students over a decade ago.

Last fall’s initial enrollment was the highest in 14 years, according to the university.

When the economy is bad, schools with good programs and reasonable costs seem to attract more students, and YSU has benefitted from that, Maraffa said.

Accepted applications for fall 2009 are up significantly over this time last year, according to Maraffa’s report.

A total of 3,623 students had been accepted as of June 1 this year as compared to 3,193 at this time last year, an increase of 430.

The proposed general fund budget reflects a $1.5 million spending increase.

The spending plan started out with a $6 million projected deficit, and the university implemented a series of cuts to eliminate that red ink, including leaving some vacant non-faculty positions unfilled, and cuts in staff travel and expenses and other budget reductions.

State support is expected to rise slightly from $49.9 million to $50.2 million.

Undergraduate tuition will remain frozen for the third year (That’s at $6,721 for in-state residents), but graduate student tuition will rise by 6 percent under the budget plan to $9,256 per year for in-state residents and $9,451 for nonresidents.

Room and board will rise by more than 4 percent to $7,400 per year.

gwin@vindy.com