McNeese Spring Enrollment Up

Spring enrollment at McNeese State University is up by 5.2 percent, with total enrollment standing at 8,099, an increase of 403 students over the 2009 spring enrollment count, according to final figures released by the McNeese Registrar’s Office.

“This is the third highest spring enrollment,” Dr. Robert Hebert, president of McNeese State University, said. “Our highest spring enrollment was 8,159 for spring 2005, followed by an all time high enrollment of 8,992 in fall 2005.”
At that time McNeese had recorded 14 consecutive enrollment increases. “We are beginning to regain the momentum we had before Hurricane Rita,” Hebert said.

This is the second consecutive spring enrollment increase. McNeese also recorded a 4.2 percent enrollment increase for the fall 2009 semester.
The numbers show a 19.9 percent increase in early admissions students this spring, which includes students from 29 high schools in the surrounding five-parish area who are academically qualified to take freshman-level college courses. The dual enrollment program continues to grow in both enrollment and course offerings. “This program has been very successful in terms of recruiting. A very high percentage of the early admissions students enroll full time at McNeese after graduating from high school,” Hebert said.

Retention of continuing students improved 2.5 percent over spring 2009. Students returning to classes at McNeese after an absence of a year or more rose to 21.3 percent this spring, while there was a 15.8 percent increase in adult students, ages 25 and older.

McNeese now offers students three complete online options in criminal justice, family and child studies, and Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. Currently, there are 98 students enrolled in these programs.
“These online options address a need to provide degree programs that would be appropriate for the family, work and time commitments of non-traditional students wishing to return to college,” Hebert said. “We hope to offer more degree programs online in the future.”

The enrollment numbers show that the colleges of education, liberal arts, nursing and science experienced overall growth in undergraduate enrollment this semester, with the nursing program gaining the largest number of undergraduate majors as well as the largest percentage increase.
The Doré School of Graduate Studies showed a 9.8 percent increase in students. The Burton College of Education gained the largest number of graduate majors as well as the largest percentage increase. The colleges of engineering and engineering technology, nursing and science also experienced growth in graduate enrollment.