Enrollment up a notch

By Jennifer Peryam

Administration Editor

The numbers are in, Eastern’s total enrollment for the Fall 2004 school year has increased by 129 students.

“I think the increase in enrollment indicates that we are consistent in getting our message out and getting good at pooling qualified students,” said director of admissions Brenda Ross. Embracing this enrollment to better assist the university is a way to build enrollment Ross said.

Eastern’s Fall 2004 enrollment of 11,651 exceeds last year’s number of 11,522 by 1.1 percent.The number of upperclassmen has also increased this year, while freshmen enrollment is down.Sophomores consist of 2,176, juniors 2,320, seniors 2,815, undergraduate students 9,928 and graduate students as 1,723. Last fall there were 1,958 sophomores, 2,173 juniors, 2,787 seniors, 9,845 undergraduates and 1,677 graduate students. President Lou Hencken’s goal was to enroll 3,000 new students and actual enrollment of new students was 3,029.

“We’ve made a commitment to our students that ensures their ability to get the classes they need to graduate in a timely manner,” Hencken said. Also, he said the university has sought to maintain an enrollment at a level appropriate for its capacity.

Incoming ACT scores have remained constant with the average scores as 21.9 and last year’s as 22.1. Eastern has the second highest ACT score in comparison to the University of Illinois according to Blair Lord, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Julia Abell, director of planning and institutional studies, who was in charge of the statistics process spoke about the enrollment increase.

“Administration has worked really hard to target enrollment and I think Eastern has a stronger student body and is moving in a good direction,” Abell said.