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SOU enrollment falls 4.5 percent By Sara Murphy ASHLAND � Southern Oregon University enrollment has slumped slightly since last year, but school officials say the decrease doesn�t reflect an overall trend. The university�s fourth-week enrollment figures dropped by about 4.5 percent this year but remain slightly higher than the 1998 head count. Officials are examining why the numbers have tapered off, but say last year�s increase may be the true anomaly. About 5,511 students enrolled this term at SOU, representing a drop of 261 students from last fall�s fourth-week count of 5,772, said Lynn Paulson, director of budget and planning. The enrollment dip may cost SOU about $1 million in state funding if the trend continues throughout winter and spring terms, but Paulson said the shortage won�t cause spending cuts. SOU received nearly $1 million over budget last year because enrollment was higher than expected, Paulson said. Held in reserve, that money will help cover this year�s potential deficit. "We were cautious about whether we really were going to grow from last year�s base," he said. Despite the recent drop, Paulson said SOU�s long-term enrollment trend remains on the rise. This fall�s count is about 39 students higher than in 1998. "If you look historically at enrollment, you tend to see years when it jumps up a little or goes down a little," he said. This fall�s part-time enrollment has dropped rather sharply, Paulson noted. The number of part-time graduate students fell from 276 to 214 this year, while the part-time undergraduate count fell from 438 to 400. Minority enrollment, meanwhile, continues to increase. That count rose from 462 to 472 this year and jumped by 58 students the previous year, Paulson said. Marketing Director Katy Bazylewicz said SOU will use the enrollment numbers as an opportunity to review its marketing plan. One of this year�s goals is to work with community colleges to help smooth the transition for students who transfer to SOU, she said. This year�s enrollment drop, Bazylewicz said, may reflect a stiffer admissions policy. This year, she said, SOU turned away more students than in the past. "There was a commitment from the university that we wanted students who will stay," Bazylewicz said. "We want higher retention." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.