21,970 Students Attending Colorado State; Enrollment Sets Record
Tuesday, September 24, 1996
FORT COLLINS--For the third year in a row, fall enrollment at
Colorado State University set records, with 21,970 students enrolled
and more minority students than ever attending.
Total student numbers increased 0.3 percent over last year and
19.5 percent for the decade.
The fall 1996 freshman class experienced a healthy increase of 5.4
percent over the previous year, a percentage that exceeds the increase
in the number of students graduating from high school.
"These figures indicate a growing proportion of Colorado high-
school graduates are choosing Colorado State," said Albert Yates,
Colorado State president.
Strengthened retention efforts at the university also resulted in
a larger-than-expected number of returning undergraduate students.
"Each year, we continue to see an increase in the overall number
of students enrolling at Colorado State," Yates said. "It's part of the
enrollment growth we've been predicting for several years, although
more gradual than expected."
He added that, although student numbers continue to rise, the
quality of student remains unchanged.
"This year, as in the past, our entering freshman are academically
outstanding," Yates said. "The average in-state freshman at Colorado
State has a 3.5 grade point average in high school--a figure that's
been consistent for many years."
Colorado residents account for 76.5 percent of the total student
population.
Much of the increase in undergraduate enrollment, however, was
offset by unanticipated declines in the number of new and continuing
graduate students. Graduate enrollment was down by more than 250
students.
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Page 2--Enrollment
Minority enrollment grew to 10.4 percent of the total student
body, reflecting an upward trend that began 12 years ago when minority
students made up only 5.8 percent of the student body. Ethnically
diverse students now number 2,290, a 1.3 percent increase over 1995.
This year, the number of Hispanic, Black and Native American students
grew, while the number of Asian students remained unchanged.
The university's minority student population totals for fall 1996
include the following: Hispanic, 1,108; Asian, 620; Black, 318; and
Native American, 244.
"We're especially pleased that the number of African-American
students grew by 3.2 percent over last year," said Mary Ontiveros,
admissions director. "For several years this number dropped, and at
many other institutions the number of African-American students
continues to decline. But at Colorado State, we've developed several
initiatives, like Black Issues Forum, to invite more students of color
to experience Colorado State."
Students transferring from two-year community colleges soared by
11.7 percent this year, in part because of university efforts to
establish student-friendly transfer programs with schools across the
state. The university has created the "Vital Connections Transfer
Program" with 15 community and junior colleges. Through the program,
Colorado State counselors meet with potential transfer students
regularly to help students plan their Colorado State education.
"Colorado State has intensified its efforts," Ontiveros said about
the transfer programs. She also cited the recently announced First
Generation Award Program, a collaboration with the Community College of
Denver where first-generation CCD students can more easily transfer to
Colorado State, as an example of partnerships the university has
developed.
The highest number of transfer students from Colorado's two-year
institutions come from the Colorado Mountain College system, Front
Range Community College system and Pikes Peak Community College.
"One reason our overall enrollment continues to grow is because
Colorado State spends a lot of time working with counselors at the K-12
and community-college levels, sharing information and developing
opportunities to speak one-on-one with potential students," Yates said.
"Our efforts to recruit successful students wanting to learn in a
diverse educational environment are paying off."
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