USM Sees Record Enrollment; Headcount Across System Tops 137,000
ADELPHI, Md. (December 4, 2007) - The number of students attending University System
of Maryland (USM) institutions has reached a record high of 137,412, the system
has announced with the release of its Fall 2007 Preliminary Opening Enrollment
Report. The increase translates into an additional 2,093 students system-wide,
up 1.5 percent from Fall 2007.
Eight of the system's 11 universities
experienced enrollment growth between 1.7 and 9.4 percent: Bowie State
University (2.1 percent); Frostburg State University (1.7 percent);
Towson University (4.4 percent); University of Baltimore (9.4 percent);
University of Maryland, Baltimore (4.4 percent); University of
Maryland, Baltimore County (2.1 percent); and University of Maryland,
College Park (2.6
percent).
First-time, full-time
undergraduate enrollment also reached a record high of 13,072 students--up 3.1 percent
from Fall 2006--reflecting the surge in high-school graduation levels associated
with the "Baby Boom Echo" population. Graduate/first-professional part-time enrollment
grew 4.2 percent in the same period.
"Growing enrollment is a
testimony to our efforts to increase access and find a place for all
qualified
students," said USM Chancellor William E. Kirwan. "We are literally
adding the
student population equivalent of a Frostburg, Salisbury, or University
of Maryland Eastern Shore--4,000 or more students--every two years."
USM currently receives funds
through the FY 2008 Enrollment Funding Initiative EFI to help meet the
demand
on its universities' operating budgets as a result of increasing
enrollments. Developed
in collaboration with the Governor's Office and General Assembly, EFI
provided
$5.1 million in additional state funding to the system's FY 2008
budget. Under the
FY 2008 EFI plan, the USM Board of Regents designated Salisbury
University, Towson University, and University of Maryland University
College (UMUC)
as the system's primary growth institutions. The University of Maryland
School
of Pharmacy and the University of Maryland, College Park programs at
the Universities at Shady Grove regional higher education
center were also targeted for growth. All met or surpassed their
enrollment targets
except UMUC, which saw a 2.4 percent decrease in headcount from FY 2007.
The Board of Regents plans to
expand EFI in the near future to include Bowie State University in the group of targeted growth institutions.
"Despite some small declines
at a few of our institutions, the overall growth trend is very strong," said
Chancellor Kirwan. "In the next decade, total enrollment system-wide is
expected to grow by more than 30 percent. Programs such as the Enrollment
Funding Initiative will be critical to meeting the increased demand on our
facilities, staff, and resources."
To access the Fall 2007
Preliminary Opening Enrollment Report, visit: http://www.usmd.edu/usm/adminfinance/IR/reports/index.html.
Contact: John Buettner
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: jbuettner@usmd.edu
