University boasts record-breaking enrollment for third straight year

Enrollment across IU's eight campuses continues to grow, IU officials said Thursday. The latest numbers show a record 96,219 students taking classes at IU-Bloomington or one of its seven satellite campuses.\n"Our continued strong enrollments are good news for Indiana University and for our state as a whole," IU President Myles Brand said in a press release. "Today's students have more higher education options than ever before. That so many continue to choose to attend the different campuses of IU is a clear indication that they are convinced that the university offers an excellent educational value."\nUniversity spokeswoman Susan Dillman said higher enrollment numbers better the partnership between IU and the state.\nMore enrolled students turn in to IU graduates, and then more potential employees for Indiana's burgeoning high-tech economy, she said. \n"One of the things we have said consistently is IU is a part, and in fact a key player, in the state's new economy," Dillman said. "If we continue have record enrollments, we're turning out record numbers of people ready to transition into Indiana's new economy."\nIU-Bloomington enrollment has increased by 2.4 percent, or 887 students during the first semester of the 2000-01 academic year. It's the third straight year of record enrollment on the Bloomington campus.\nEnrollment by African American students increased at a faster rate -- 5 percent -- while foreign-born students grew by 7.7 percent. \nDon Hossler, vice chancellor for enrollment services, said he is always excited to see more faces on the Bloomington campus.\n"There's always this drive, 'how do you know if you're doing well,'" Hossler said. "Well, you think, 'Gee, we must be pretty good if people want to be here.' This is one of the ways we measure our value and our worth. It conveys a certain sense of health."\nBut the growth can be misleading. Despite an overall increase in enrollment, this year's freshmen class is smaller, Hossler said. The growth results from this year's senior class, which is larger than the 2001 class that graduated in May.\nAt the recommendation of a study concerning IUB's student capacity, admissions targets for the future have been dropped.\nHossler said IU expects to admit 6,600 freshmen next year -- the size of the Class of 2005. \nWith new targets set, Hossler expects the total of enrollment at IU to actually drop in three years.\nBut for now, IU plans on sending more students out into Indiana's workforce.\n"We recognize Indiana needs more college graduates," Brand said. "We are continuing to attract qualified students, and providing them with the tools they need to reach their educational goals. This enrollment effort represents another step toward building the workforce the state will need for the 21st century economy"