For the third year in a row, total student enrollment for fall semester is down, the University of Idaho reported Thursday.
Despite increases in graduate, international student and law school enrollment, the total number of students at the Moscow campus is 11,534 this semester, compared to 11,884 students in fall 2013. This decline of nearly 3 percent was expected, according to UI President Chuck Staben, though it goes against the university’s goal to raise enrollment.
“Given the higher numbers of students we’ve recently graduated, this overall decline was not unexpected,” Staben said in a press release.
The consistent decline in enrollment is attributed to a number of factors including a change in graduation requirements from 128 to 120 credits, allowing more students to graduate sooner than expected. This increase in graduation rates combined with smaller entering classes — which have declined four years in a row — has been detrimental to UI’s enrollment rates.
The university reports the number of new, first-year students enrolled in fall 2014 declined from 1,638 in 2013 to 1,590 this year. According to a university statement, this decline in first-year students is primarily due to a decrease in transfer students — a nationwide trend. More than 70 percent of those first-year undergraduates are from Idaho and 36 percent are first generation college students.
Although overall enrollment is down, the university maintains a retention rate of 77.4 percent of students.
In addition, graduate student enrollment increased 6 percent and international student enrollment d 37.2 percent from 2013. The biggest enrollment increase came from the College of Law with an enrollment increase of 50.4 percent compared to fall 2013.
“We are pleased about growth in key areas, such as graduate student and international student enrollment, and continue to focus our efforts on the long-term, overall growth needed to serve the students of Idaho and the world,” Staben said.
UI also tied its school record for enrollment of National Merit Scholars with 76 enrolled this year, and overall Honors Program enrollment increased 26 percent.
Kaitlyn Krasselt can be reached at [email protected]