It’s not how you start the race, but how you finish.
That old adage may be very applicable to Eastern
Michigan University’s enrollment picture for the
new fall semester. With 159 years of tradition, EMU is
like the strong turtle making consistent strides in the
right direction.
“We achieved great gains in enrollment this summer,
as many at EMU worked hard to increase our enrollment and
reach out to returning and new students,” said Susan
Martin, president of EMU. “We are a warm and welcoming
campus with good food, housing, and great academic programs,
and the results in enrollment are beginning to be realized."
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HEALTHY CHOICES: Juniors Kelly Swanson
(foreground) and Michelle Casilla, both dietetics
majors, grab a healthy meal at Eastern Eateries.
Dining Services has experienced a 38-percent growth
in sales during the first two weeks of the fall
semester. |
Martin said new double beds in dormitory rooms and flat-panel
television screens in common areas are some of the more
notable updates being added to residence halls.
“These changes help make students feel comfortable
and at home to sprawl out and study,” Martin said.
“I am excited that 20 percent of our undergraduates
are African Americans and 31 percent of our freshman class
is African American. We have almost a thousand international
students from countries around the world,” she said.
At the end of April 2008, EMU's projection of enrollment
for fall semester was down by 8 percent but, since that
time, has made significant gains. Currently, total enrollment
is down 3 percent. As of Sept. 12, EMU had 21,926 students,
who are taking 228,443 credit hours. In 2007, there were
22,638 students (both undergraduate and graduate) who took
235,305 credit hours.
“Our housing is at a greater occupancy than last
year and our dining services have experienced a marked
growth in sales,” said Bernice Lindke, interim vice
president for student affairs and enrollment services.
There are 385 students living in University-operated apartments,
a 20 percent increase from last year. This fall, there
are 2,927 students living in residence halls, level with
last year.
Campus dining services has experienced a significant growth
in sales of more than $85,000, or 38 percent, in just the
first few weeks of the fall semester.
Martin said improved residence halls, good food and rising
gas prices are key reasons EMU’s residence halls
are making gains in occupancy.
Two enrollment categories have seen increases for fall.
Thanks in large part to the implementation of the Early
College Alliance, which allows students to be dual enrolled
in high school and college, there are 77 new undergraduate
students at EMU. That is 50 more for that category than
last year, or an increase of 185 percent.
For graduate students, new admits increased 4 percent,
from 1,187 in 2007 to 1,239. More graduate students led
to an increase of 6 percent in new graduate credit hours,
from 7,832 to 8,287.
“I have issued a 5,000-credit-hour challenge to
the campus to begin rebuilding our enrollment, which is
down about 50,000 credit hours from its peak of 567,995
in 2002-03. Our state appropriation increased 1 percent
this year but, at $78 million, it is still $9 million less
than the $87 million it peaked at a few years ago," said
Martin. “Our future fiscal stability lies in a stable
pattern of enrollment growth and to increase our endowments
and sponsored research, grants and contracts. More importantly,
Michigan needs EMU graduates who stay in Michigan to help
turn this state economy around, as more than 80 percent
of alumni stay in this great state."
