Washington State University Tri-Cities is preparing to admit more students than last year despite the threat of state budget cuts.
The branch campus has admitted 134 potential freshmen so far for the 2009-10 school year, which starts in August, up from 89 as of this time last year. That's a 51 percent increase, according to an admissions report released Wednesday.
And transfer admissions are up from 157 students as of March 24, 2008, to 194 students by the same date in 2009. That's nearly a 24 percent increase.
Jaime Contreras, WSU Tri-Cities director of student affairs, said the growth was close to being "miraculous."
"This year is a weird year because the economy is playing such a big role," Contreras said.
Students traditionally flock to colleges during tough economic cycles - either for retraining after being laid off from a job or because they need education to get jobs in an increasingly competitive market.
One trend Contreras has noticed is that more students are applying to public, state-subsidized schools over private universities to save money.
And WSU Tri-Cities offers the benefit of being a nontraditional campus where students can continue living with parents to save money while attending school, he said.
But another piece of the statistical picture is evidence that WSU Tri-Cities' recruitment efforts are working, especially with minority students, Contreras said.
Applications and admissions for all measurable ethnic groups are up in 2009. Applications rose 108 percent, from 73 for fall 2008 to 152 for fall 2009, and admissions rose 116 percent from 43 to 93.
The biggest jump in raw numbers was among Hispanic students, with 104 students applying in 2009 versus 58 in 2008, for a 79 percent increase.
Of those who applied for fall 2009, 67 were admitted, compared with 35 in 2008, representing a 91 percent rise in Hispanic student admissions.
Contreras said since he came to WSU Tri-Cities in June 2008, he has expanded outreach and recruitment by visiting more schools and participating in events with the Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement, or MESA, program. The program encourages women and minorities to pursue careers in science, math, engineering and technology.
The campus has developed marketing materials in Spanish and Russian and hopes to translate materials into Asian languages.
And Contreras said he's done this while staying under budget for advertising and without hiring additional staff because of a state-mandated hiring freeze.
The entire university system has been exploring ways to cut 12 to 18 percent from its operating budget because of a nearly $9 billion projected state deficit through the end of the next biennium.
Contreras said despite budget cuts, WSU Tri-Cities will be ready for the influx of students expected this fall.
"We can handle the growth for this year, but if it continues two or three years, we may have to make some difficult decisions," he said.
Similar stories:
Proposed state budget cuts contradict state values, WSU president says
Proposed state budget cuts contradict state values, WSU president says
The president of Washington State University, during a visit to the Tri-Cities last week, said Gov. Chris Gregoire's budget cut proposal runs counter to the core values held by Washingtonians.
He also voiced strict opposition to a legislator's suggestion to completely close branch campuses such as WSU Tri-Cities.
"(The budget proposal) fundamentally changes who we are," said Elson Floyd, who took on leadership of WSU four years ago, shortly before the recession triggered a series of cuts in state funding to the university.
WSU: Overall enrollment up as Richland campus slips
WSU: Overall enrollment up as Richland campus slips
PULLMAN -– Washington State University this year experienced a record fall semester enrollment, with a total of 27,008 students enrolling across the university’s four campuses.
The new figure surpasses by nearly four percent last fall’s system-wide enrollment total of 25,989. For the second year in a row, fall enrollment at the Pullman campus also surpassed the 20,000 mark, with a total enrollment of 21,016 students, up from 20,058 in 2010. Pullman enrollment figures also include distance students served by the Pullman campus.
WSU Tri-Cities, in its fifth year of accepting freshman, saw 97 new freshmen and 216 transfers. The average grade point for the WSU Tri-Cities freshman class is 3.31, with 96.9 percent being Washington residents. Total enrollment on the WSU Tri-Cities campus is 1,520, a decline of 1.81 percent from 1,548 enrolled in fall 2010.
See behind the numbers at WSU Tri-Cities
See behind the numbers at WSU Tri-Cities
By Brad Fisher and Mike Kluse, Special to the Tri-City Herald
Washington State University announced last week that enrollment at the Tri-Cities campus remained flat this year, but these numbers do not tell the full story of WSU Tri-Cities and the many things we have to celebrate about our local campus.
WSU Tri-Cities has gone through significant growth and change over the past several years and has fostered closer ties to its alumni, the community, region and state.
See behind the numbers at WSU Tri-Cities
See behind the numbers at WSU Tri-Cities
Washington State University announced last week that enrollment at the Tri-Cities campus remained flat this year, but these numbers do not tell the full story of WSU Tri-Cities and the many things we have to celebrate about our local campus.
WSU Tri-Cities has gone through significant growth and change over the past several years and has fostered closer ties to its alumni, the community, region and state.
WSU Tri-Cities continues to be the most diverse campus in the WSU system. This fall, nearly 23 percent of the overall enrollment is made up of students of color, with the majority being Latino.
EVENT: Prospective WSU Tri-Cities students invited to Cougar Saturday
EVENT: Prospective WSU Tri-Cities students invited to Cougar Saturday
Explore what Washington State University Tri-Cities has to offer for incoming freshmen, transfer students, graduate students, or those wanting to complete a degree during the Cougar Saturday information fair on Saturday.
Faculty and advisors will be available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to answer questions about academics, financial aid, scholarships, the application process, student life, graduate school, transferring from another institution, changing from another WSU campus, and becoming a freshman at WSU Tri-Cities.
Veterans also can learn how to take advantage of the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill by enrolling at WSU Tri-Cities, which is a Veteran Supportive Campus (Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs, May 2011) and a Military Friendly School (G.I. Jobs magazine, October 2011).
Print
Email Story
