2008 Woodie Awards
University reports increase in enrollment
Chris Stroud
Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
umbers have been released and there are 39 more students on the Southwest Baptist University main campus compared to last year.
Bolivar campus enrollment increased from 1,521 to 1,560.
Overall enrollment for all campuses (Bolivar, Lebanon, Mountain View, Salem and Springfield) increased from 3,503 to 3,539.
One reason for the 2.6 percent increase at Bolivar was the exceptionally high retention rate of last year's freshmen.
"Dana Steward and the University Success Center staff are to be complimented for an 86 percent retention rate this year," said Dr. C. Pat Taylor.
The 2007 freshman class declined by 49 students as opposed to the 2006 class.
Last year's freshmen class of 459 was "one of the largest in a long time" according to Dr. Janet Juhlin, director of institutional effectiveness. Comparing this year's 410 to the 363 of 2005 and the 2004 total of 377 backs this up.
Juhlin also said that "admissions have done an excellent job." She continued that the number was a "very strong, healthy number" and that The University wants "grow well without outgrowing our resources."
In the same vein, the Springfield campus was down 25 students.
"Last year we were significantly overcrowded," said Taylor. "The current faculty limits us to a capacity of about 600 students."
The current student body of 603 is in line with Taylor's goal, "Any semester we have 600 students at Springfield, we are meeting our enrollment objectives," said Taylor.
Although behind the School of Nursing, the College of Education and Social Sciences has over a two-to-one lead on their closest competitor in Business and Computer Science on the Bolivar campus.
The totals are 538 to 258, but there are 106 undeclared majors still in play.
The top individual major at the Bolivar campus is Elementary Education with 162 students.
The second most popular major at the Bolivar campus is Business Administration which has 110 students followed by Psychology with 108.
In the graduate programs, the biggest gain was in the Doctorate of Physical Therapy program at Bolivar which now has 111 students.
The influx of doctoral candidates maxed out the current first year student class at 40.
There are 850 women enrolled compared to only 710 men. Ninety-one percent are single, with five percent married, one percent divorced, and three percent (45 students) fall into the "unknown" category.
Polk county residents represent the largest block of students with 188.
Overall, 96 of the 114 counties in Missouri have at least one representative.
The 1,093 Missouri students come from 245 different communities.
Of the 50 states, 443 students represent 40 of them. Kansans lead the charge with 90 students.
There are an additional 24 students representing 15 foreign countries, spanning six of the seven continents.
Bolivar campus enrollment increased from 1,521 to 1,560.
Overall enrollment for all campuses (Bolivar, Lebanon, Mountain View, Salem and Springfield) increased from 3,503 to 3,539.
One reason for the 2.6 percent increase at Bolivar was the exceptionally high retention rate of last year's freshmen.
"Dana Steward and the University Success Center staff are to be complimented for an 86 percent retention rate this year," said Dr. C. Pat Taylor.
The 2007 freshman class declined by 49 students as opposed to the 2006 class.
Last year's freshmen class of 459 was "one of the largest in a long time" according to Dr. Janet Juhlin, director of institutional effectiveness. Comparing this year's 410 to the 363 of 2005 and the 2004 total of 377 backs this up.
Juhlin also said that "admissions have done an excellent job." She continued that the number was a "very strong, healthy number" and that The University wants "grow well without outgrowing our resources."
In the same vein, the Springfield campus was down 25 students.
"Last year we were significantly overcrowded," said Taylor. "The current faculty limits us to a capacity of about 600 students."
The current student body of 603 is in line with Taylor's goal, "Any semester we have 600 students at Springfield, we are meeting our enrollment objectives," said Taylor.
Although behind the School of Nursing, the College of Education and Social Sciences has over a two-to-one lead on their closest competitor in Business and Computer Science on the Bolivar campus.
The totals are 538 to 258, but there are 106 undeclared majors still in play.
The top individual major at the Bolivar campus is Elementary Education with 162 students.
The second most popular major at the Bolivar campus is Business Administration which has 110 students followed by Psychology with 108.
In the graduate programs, the biggest gain was in the Doctorate of Physical Therapy program at Bolivar which now has 111 students.
The influx of doctoral candidates maxed out the current first year student class at 40.
There are 850 women enrolled compared to only 710 men. Ninety-one percent are single, with five percent married, one percent divorced, and three percent (45 students) fall into the "unknown" category.
Polk county residents represent the largest block of students with 188.
Overall, 96 of the 114 counties in Missouri have at least one representative.
The 1,093 Missouri students come from 245 different communities.
Of the 50 states, 443 students represent 40 of them. Kansans lead the charge with 90 students.
There are an additional 24 students representing 15 foreign countries, spanning six of the seven continents.
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