ENROLLMENT FIGURES FALL 2 PERCENT AT SOUTHEAST

There are 159 fewer students enrolled at Southeast Missouri State University this fall semester than a year ago, final census figures show.

Total undergraduate and graduate headcount stands at 7,925, a decrease of 2 percent from last fall but an increase from last month's first-day enrollment figure. On Aug. 23, enrollment was down by 205 students.

But while total enrollment has declined, the number of graduate students has increased, school officials said Tuesday.

There are 782 graduate students, up 28 students or 4 percent from a year ago.

Southeast has 7,143 undergraduate students, down 187 students or 3 percent from a year ago.

But the junior headcount stands at 1,522, down just three students from last fall. Senior headcount stands at 1,748, up 17 students from a year ago.

The junior and senior headcounts suggest that retention is on the rise at Southeast among the first few classes of students admitted to the university under more rigorous admissions criteria, school officials said.

"Right now, all we have is raw numbers," said Art Wallhausen, assistant to the president at Southeast. "We would like to think it demonstrates improved retention."

The number of students seeking master's degrees stands at 533, up 66 students or 14 percent from last fall. There are 64 students seeking specialist degrees, up 18 students or 39 percent from a year ago.