ENROLLMENT: SOUTHEAST HEADCOUNT RISES BY 14

Total headcount at Southeast Missouri State University for the spring semester is up 14 from a year ago, university officials said Tuesday.

"I think we are pleased that undergraduate enrollment is up slightly from last year," said Art Wallhausen, assistant to the president at Southeast.

As of the first day of classes Monday, the total headcount stood at 7,660, up from 7,646 in January 1991. Total full-time equivalency (FTE) enrollment climbed by 84, from 6,447 at the start of the 1991 spring semester to 6,531 at the start of this semester's classes.

Undergraduate headcount at Southeast totaled 7,166, an increase of 89 from a year ago. Undergraduate FTE enrollment stood at 6,323 Monday, an increase of 103 over the 1991 spring semester total, university officials said.

University officials said there are 494 graduate students enrolled for the spring semester, 75 fewer than a year ago. Graduate FTE enrollment was 208 Monday, a decrease of 19 from a year ago.

Students can enroll for spring semester classes through Friday.

Of the enrollment figures, Wallhausen said, "It's stable on the positive side and that's good at this point."

"The retention looks good," he added. "We have a large senior class, up about 90."

As of the first day of classes, there were 1,736 seniors, up from 1,646 a year ago.

Sophomore and junior classes also showed an increase from the 1991 spring semester.

As of Monday, 1,509 juniors were enrolled compared to 1,476 last spring; and 1,690 sophomore were enrolled compared to 1,661 in 1991.

A total of 1,890 freshmen were enrolled as of Monday, compared with 1,898 as of the start of classes last spring, officials said.

Wallhausen said it's hard to forecast long-term enrollment trends on the basis of spring enrollment figures.

But he said university officials are pleased with the stable enrollment at a time when Southeast has been strengthening its admission requirements.

"As long as we are making steady gains and at the same time improving quality in admissions policy changes, I think it is all very positive," Wallhausen said.