University Times

Spring term enrollment was higher than expected at the Pittsburgh campus and slightly lower than the administration had budgeted for at the regional campuses, according to final figures released last week by Pitt's Office of Institutional Research.

University-wide this spring, Pitt enrolled:

* 19,375.8 full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduates — 456.8 more than the administration had budgeted for, and 598.8 more than in spring 1997.

* 7,034.8 FTE graduate and first professional students — 86.8 more than budgeted, and 4.2 more than last spring.

The total headcount at all five campuses was 31,711 full-time and part-time students — 525 more than budgeted, and 480 more than in spring 1997.

The headcount included 22,767 undergraduates and 8,944 graduate and professional students.

The Pittsburgh campus headcount was 26,056, which was 683 more than budgeted and 440 more than in spring 1997.

The Pittsburgh campus FTE total was 21,333.4 students, 543.8 more than budgeted and 485 more than last spring.

Among Pittsburgh campus units, the largest FTE increases this spring were in the College of Arts and Sciences (9,141 students, 358 more than budgeted and 343 more than in spring 1997) and the College of Business Administration (728.2 students, just 18.4 more than Pitt budget-makers had expected but 282.4 more than last spring).

The largest FTE decreases were in the College of General Studies (CGS) and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). The losses were expected.

Spring enrollment in CGS dropped from 1,848 to 1,611.6 from 1997 to 1998, but CGS fell only 4.4 students short of its target enrollment.

FAS enrollment declined from 1,438 FTE students in spring 1997 to 1,336.2 this spring, but the school actually exceeded its target by 3.4 FTEs.

Pitt's four regional campuses enrolled 5,077.2 FTE students this spring — only 0.2 fewer than budgeted, and 118 more than in spring 1997.

The regional campus headcount included 5,655 full- and part-time undergraduates — 158 fewer than budgeted, but 40 more than last spring.

Robert Pack, vice provost for Academic Planning and Resources Management, attributed Pitt's higher-than-expected spring enrollment to the University's student retention efforts (including early intervention programs sponsored by Student Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences) and to recent efforts to improve the quality of student life.

"I think we're starting to see the results of those efforts," Pack said.

As for the regionals, the Bradford and Johnstown campuses recently instituted comprehensive programs to improve student retention, he said. "I think we'll begin to see, over the next few years, substantial improvements [in retaining students] on both of those campuses.

"One of the issues that's high on the agenda of the Greensburg campus's new president [Frank Cassell] is improving the quality of student life, as well as improving student advisement. Those efforts should lead to better student retention," Pack added.

Pitt's spring 1998 enrollment will yield an unexpected surplus in tuition income for the current fiscal year, but Pack said the administration hasn't determined yet how to allocate the surplus.

"Obviously, it's a much rosier picture than in the days when we had enrollment shortfalls," he said.

In spring 1997, for example, Pitt fell short of its budgeted enrollment by 142 FTE students. In fall 1996, the University missed its budgeted goal by 198 FTEs.

The Pittsburgh campus isn't seeking significant enrollment increases next fall except in a few targeted areas such as the College of Business Administration, Pack said. "The regional campuses are the only areas where we still project steady enrollment increases annually."

— Bruce Steele