USM Reports Rise in Fall 2006 Enrollments; Headcount Tops 135,000

Increases Signal System’s Strides in Accessibility

ADELPHI, Md. (November 9, 2006) — The number of students attending University System of Maryland (USM) institutions has reached a record high of 135,005, USM announced today with the release of its Fall 2006 Preliminary Opening Enrollment Report. The increase translates into an additional 6,580 students systemwide, up 5 percent from last fall and 10 percent above the 6,000 headcount increase set by USM as part of the FY 2007 Enrollment Funding Initiative (EFI).

Designed by USM in collaboration with the Governor’s Office and General Assembly, EFI provided $14.9 million in state funding to the system’s FY 2007 budget to fund increased enrollments and to meet demands on university operating budgets as a result of growing student populations. Under EFI, the Board of Regents (BOR) designated Salisbury University, Towson University, and University of Maryland University College (UMUC) as the system’s primary institutions targeted for growth this year.

Seven of the system’s 11 institutions—Salisbury; Towson; University of Baltimore (UB); University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB); University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC); University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES); and UMUC—experienced enrollment growth between 1 and 20 percent. The BOR-designated growth institutions exceeded their funded enrollment projections. Salisbury and Towson each grew by 5 percent (adding 374 and 1,254 students respectively), while UMUC grew 20 percent, adding 5,352 students. Slight enrollment declines were seen at Bowie State University (-1 percent), Coppin State University (-5 percent), Frostburg State University (-3 percent), and University of Maryland, College Park (-1 percent).

“EFI was a new strategy for USM and the state, and I am very pleased by the results of this collaboration,” said William E. Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland. “We exceeded our enrollment commitment to the state, and our designated growth institutions surpassed their targets. Our enrollment numbers are extremely strong. Thanks to the state’s support and the EFI initiative, we are making great strides in our determination to have a place within the USM for every qualified Maryland high school graduate.”

The report also indicated the following enrollment trends for USM:

• Full-time enrollment growth was healthy at the undergraduate and graduate/first professional levels. Full-time enrollment grew 2 percent in both categories.

• Part-time enrollments accounted for a large portion of the enrollment growth between fall 2005 and fall 2006. Undergraduate part-time students increased by 3,189 students (+13 percent). A majority of the undergraduate part-time enrollment growth was due to an increase in UMUC’s part-time stateside undergraduate population.

• Graduate/first-professional part-time enrollment grew 8 percent (+1,591 students) systemwide.

• First-time, full-time undergraduate enrollment at USM institutions reached a record high of 12,685 students, likely a result of surging high school graduation levels associated with the “Baby Boom Echo” population. Between fall 2005 and fall 2006, first-time, full-time undergraduate enrollment increased 4 percent across the system.

To access the full report, visit: http://www.usmd.edu/usm/adminfinance/IR/reports/index.html.

Contact: John Buettner
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: jbuettner@usmd.edu