UI Freshman Class Up; Total Enrollment Down Out-Of-State Tuition Hike Cited In 1 Percent Decline Overall

The University of Idaho has enrolled the largest freshman class in the school’s history this semester, but the overall number of students has declined slightly for the fourth consecutive year.

Numbers released Wednesday by the registrar’s office, 10 days into the 1997-98 school year, show the number of new, undergraduate students increased about 11 percent from last year but also indicate the school still is suffering from the decision to increase out-of-state tuition. It took full effect in 1994.

Overall enrollment dropped about 1 percent from last year, with 11,027 students attending, down 106 from last year.

The 1,872 freshman enrolled at the UI represent a 12 percent increase over last year. The school also saw a 21.8 percent jump in undergraduate transfer students. The number of law school students grew by 15 percent to 310, and ethnic minority registration increased by 28 percent.

President Bob Hoover said a drop in full-time students and the decline in overall enrollment shows the school needs to concentrate on retaining students.

“When you go to the extent we do to recruit people … the important thing is to make sure they’re successful,” Hoover said. “We need to invest the time and energy to keep them here.”

“The low freshman numbers from two and three years ago are part of our current difficulty,” Hoover said. But he said if the school can keep its record freshman class and continue with those kind of numbers in future first-year enrollment, funding problems will dwindle.