SEMO SPRING ENROLLMENT UP

Southeast Missouri State University's spring enrollment stands at 7,605, an increase of 102 students over the first day of classes a year ago.

Spring-semester classes began Tuesday. Final enrollment figures will be calculated at the end of the fourth week of classes.

Southeast officials released the enrollment figures Friday.

Dr. Dale Nitzschke, Southeast's president, welcomed the news.

Typically, fall-semester enrollment gets more attention from the public. But spring semester enrollment is a barometer too when it comes to student recruitment, he said. "We do pay attention to it," Nitzschke said.

The increase in spring semester enrollment shows the university has been effective in recruiting students throughout the year, he said.

Undergraduate headcount stands at 6,683, up from 6,642 a year ago, officials said. Southeast has 922 graduate students compared to 861 a year ago.

The university reported having 134 beginning freshmen enrolled in spring classes, up 25 percent from a year ago.