SEMO spring enrollment down by 65 students

Southeast Missouri State University has fewer students enrolled this spring semester than a year ago -- the result of a 7.8 percent drop in graduate students, first-day enrollment figures show.

University officials blamed the enrollment drop on fewer public school teachers going back to school for graduate studies at a time when tight budgets are forcing school districts to look at laying off teachers to cut expenses.

Local school superintendents said budget woes could be partly to blame. "I think there is a lot of uncertainty with the state funding right now," said Jackson schools superintendent Dr. Ron Anderson.

Cape Girardeau schools superintendent Mark Bowles said the drop in graduate students at Southeast also could reflect the competition from graduate school programs offered by Webster University and William Woods University.

Bowles said teachers also can get continuing education credits by attending workshops and conferences, lessening the need for some graduate classes.

Spring semester classes began Tuesday with 8,238 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled. That was down 65 students or .8 percent from the spring 2003 first-day enrollment total, university officials said.

Final enrollment figures will be calculated in four weeks, school officials said.

Dr. Dennis Holt, vice president of administration and enrollment management, said Wednesday that overall enrollment was "holding steady."

Southeast has fewer freshmen and sophomores, but more juniors and seniors enrolled than a year ago, records show.

Southeast has 2,148 seniors, up 77 from the first day of classes last spring. The university has 1,668 juniors, up 118 from a year ago.

But the university has 1,650 freshmen, 105 fewer than at the same time last year. The number of sophomores has dropped by 101 students to a total of 1,511.

Holt said the drop in freshmen and sophomores reflects the fact the university has had slightly fewer entering freshmen in recent academic years.

High school students taking college courses, visiting students and those not pursuing undergraduate degrees make up the remainder of the undergraduate enrollment.

Graduate enrollment dropped by 76 students. Southeast has 893 graduate students, down from 969 a year ago.

While there are fewer graduate students, they are enrolled in more classes. Undergraduate students also are enrolled in more classes this spring than a year ago.

In all, undergraduate and graduate students combined are enrolled in 99,766 class credit hours this semester, an increase of nearly 300 credit hours.

School officials said more credit hours means more revenue for the university. That's particularly important at a time when the school is still coping with state funding cuts, officials said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123

SPRING '04 ENROLLMENT

UNDERGRADUATE HEADCOUNT

High school students taking college classes at their high schools: 74

Beginning freshmen: 116

Returning freshmen: 1,534

Sophomores: 1,511

Juniors: 1,668

Seniors: 2,148

Students taking classes but not seeking degrees: 54

Students seeking second degrees: 209

High school students attending college classes at Southeast: 8

Visiting students from other colleges: 23

Total undergraduate headcount: 7,345, up .1 percent

GRADUATE HEADCOUNT

Students taking professional development courses: 183

Students seeking master's degrees: 629

Students seeking specialist in education degrees: 72

Students seeking doctorates: 9

Total graduate headcount: 893, down 7.8 percent.