2008 Woodie Awards
Enrollment reaches new high
Abby Olcese, Collegio reporter
Issue date: 9/28/06 Section: Front Page
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Last year, Pittsburg State University's overall enrollment was the highest it had been in the school's history. This year, it's even higher. In 2005, 6,628 students were enrolled. Records were broken again this year, with enrollment at 6,859 students, according to Lee Christensen, registrar. "This is the highest enrollment's ever been since 1903," Christensen said. "We're up all across the board, too, which is something I don't think I've ever seen before." One area in which the university has seen significant increase is in the number of international students, up 20 percent this year. Christensen says the International Office has added 62 more students to the Intensive English Program, raising the number from 39 students to 101. Christensen attributes the success of the program to the International Office's quick response to applications. "We try and give quick responses to those who apply to the university," Christensen said. "The International Office has a two-day turnaround, which is hard to do, since it's harder to get test scores and academic information from international students." Chuck Olcese, director of international programs and services, said in the Sept. 7 issue of the Collegio that PSU's lower tuition rates are also a big draw for international students. "One thing that is attractive to students is our very affordable tuition by comparison to other schools, even though international students pay the out-of-state rate, which is about three times as high as Kansas resident students," Olcese said. Transfer students have the second highest percent of increase in enrollment, up 13.4 percent from last year. "There are a number of factors that account for more transfer students this year," Melinda Roelfs, associate director for admission, said. "Faculty do a tremendous job when they meet with transfer students. They have lots of questions, and staff are always willing to spend time with them." Roelfs says that PSU is also home to the Tau Sigma national honor society for transfer students. Roelfs says that PSU is the first four-year college in Kansas to offer the organization, which was started in 1999 at Auburn College in Auburn, Ala. "I think it shows off the positive attitude that our transfer students bring to campus," Roelfs said. Tom Worrell, Tau Sigma president, says he believes the organization presents a valuable resource to incoming transfer students. "New transfer students have already been here a semester, so they're already kind of familiar with the campus, but they may not have formed the social interactions they had at their old school," Worrell said. "Tau Sigma helps them get into the social side of PSU." Future plans for Tau Sigma include a mentoring group for new transfer students. Existing members will take an incoming student under their wing and help them with studies and getting around the university. Christensen says he thinks the university's high enrollment the last two years speaks well for its numbers in the future. "It ought to be a positive thing for next year," Christensen said. "I think the trend will hold and probably increase for next year, because all our undergraduate numbers are positive, and people tend to stay once they get here." |
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