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SUNNY Temp: 51 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Tuesday, November 26, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend November 12, 2002 Sophomore Anthony White, left, a theater major from Southern California, appreciates the size of Southern Oregon University, but administrators are looking for ways to attract new students. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Flattening rolls? An increase of only nine students for the fall term has SOU officials worried By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune Although fall enrollment at state universities is at an all-time high, Southern Oregon University remains a notable exception with an increase this year of just nine students. According to a report from the Oregon University System, the number of full- and part-time students attending SOU grew by 0.1 percent, from 5,469 to 5,478, between fall term 2001 and fall term 2002. Statewide, the number of students attending Oregon’s public universities this fall jumped roughly 5.7 percent, from 73,883 in 2001 to 78,071 fall term 2002. It’s unclear why, exactly, SOU’s numbers remain stagnant. School administrators on Monday pointed to the large number of graduating seniors — 1,165 in spring 2002. In addition, officials said "stop outs," or students who periodically take time off due to financial or personal restraints, may have played a factor in lack of growth. "For those students, the problem has been mainly financial. They enroll for a term, stop and then save up enough money to come back," said Diane Brimmer, vice president of student affairs. Many SOU students lay the blame on rising tuition and lack of services. "Tuition is going up, and I’m from California," said 22-year-old history major Travis Vaughan, a junior. "I’ve got some hard decisions. I might have to leave." "Certain classes are only offered every other year, and it’s hard. The library is closed all day Saturday," said Sarette Arsenault, 22, a junior majoring in environmental studies. "It’s really frustrating." Brimmer on Monday said she could not list specific reasons for the school’s lack of enrollment growth, but added that SOU’s marketing department is researching the issue and looking for ways to attract and retain students. "We’re always working on improving enrollment. Even if the numbers were better, we would still be looking," Brimmer added. Attempts to contact SOU President Elisabeth Zinser on Monday were unsuccessful. Although overall enrollment figures at SOU didn’t increase much, the number of new students rose 4 percent, from 1,577 in 2001 to 1,640 this year. The number of first-time freshmen increased 1.6 percent, graduate students 11.4 percent and transfer students 4.5 percent, according to Brimmer. Oregon University Systems reported that more than 10,300 first-time freshmen enrolled across the state in fall 2002 — the largest freshmen class on record. Freshman Carey Aubuchon, 18, is part of the record-breaking statistic at SOU. The Medford resident said his siblings attended SOU, and he’s happy to continue the tradition. "Music is my major, and that had a lot to do with (choosing SOU)," Aubuchon said. "I’m glad to be here." SOU’s slight fall-term increase is an improvement over a two-year decline. A total of 5,772 students were enrolled during the 1999 fall term but numbers fell to 5,511 in 2000. That drop continued into 2001’s fall term, where 5,469 students were enrolled. The lack of growth doesn’t bother SOU student Anthony White, a Southern California native. "Personally, I don’t want to see more students," said the 19-year-old theater major. "Southern Oregon, that’s one of the things it’s known for, being smaller. I think that’s fine." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S