State University Enrollment Increases to 382,684
State University of New York enrollment grew for the fifth consecutive year to 382,684 students, up 2.2 percent since last fall, according to preliminary data released today by Chancellor Robert L. King.
Full-time undergraduate enrollment is the highest in the university’s history – 235,618 – up 4.4 percent from last fall. New full-time graduate/professional student enrollment is also the highest in the university’s history – 6,992 students – while the total graduate/professional student enrollment grew to 40,794, up 3.6 percent from last year and the highest total since 1975.
At State University community colleges, full-time enrollment increased by 7 percent over the previous year to 102,194, and full-time enrollment at the technology colleges increased 5.5 percent to 16,669 over the same period.
The enrollment figures were presented to a meeting of the State University Board of Trustees today.
Governor George E. Pataki said that the strong increases in enrollment at the State University demonstrate the great confidence that New Yorkers have in the system.
“The State University continues to attract greater numbers of students – from New York and elsewhere – and offers them an excellent education at affordable rates,” Gov. Pataki said. “These numbers demonstrate that the university is an essential partner in the prosperity of New York by providing first-rate educational opportunities to the work force and leaders of tomorrow. New Yorkers can indeed be proud of this excellent system of higher education.”
Thomas F. Egan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the State University, noted that “it has been a priority goal of the Board that we increase our enrollment, raise the quality of our student body and provide outstanding educational opportunities for the students of New York and the nation. These numbers are extremely encouraging and a clear sign that we are headed in the right direction.”
Chancellor King noted that this year’s figures continue a trend that began in the mid-1990s.
“We have focused considerable effort on achieving this goal, and the preliminary data on Fall 2001 enrollment indicate that we are well on our way to full success,” King said. “We are sustaining levels of progress that are, literally setting records. This is the result of much hard work and of the value and excellence that is available at our 64 campuses. Our presidents, our faculty, and our campus administrators are doing an outstanding job of providing excellent educational opportunities to our students and spreading the word to others that the State University of New York is on the move and at the cutting edge of learning.”
Academic quality has also risen dramatically. “Even as enrollment across the System is reaching historic levels, the academic quality of the incoming students is higher than ever before,” said Peter D. Salins, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. “Especially at our research centers,” he added, “we are attracting significant numbers of students of the same exceptional academic caliber as those enrolling in America’s best public and private institutions.”
Among the highlights of the report:
- Overall enrollment is up 2.2 percent across SUNY since Fall 2000 to 382,684 – the highest since 1995.
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment is the highest in history – up 4.4 percent from Fall 2000.
- Full-time freshman enrollment is the highest since 1988 – up 5.8 percent since Fall 2000. This is the highest since 1988.
- Freshman applications for Fall 2001 were up 3.4 percent across SUNY.
- Full-time transfer enrollment is up 3.8 percent across SUNY – the highest level since 1994.
- Total graduate/professional enrollment is up 3.6 percent – the highest since 1975.
- New graduate/professional enrollment is up 3.8 percent and is at the highest in SUNY history.
- The mean combined SAT (or converted ACT) scores of the freshman class are expected to rise to 1180 in SUNY doctoral institutions to 1085 in the comprehensive colleges, and to 930 in the technology colleges.
