SOU Breaks All Enrollment Records – Most Students Ever

Rate of Growth is the Highest of All Oregon Public Universities
(Ashland, Ore.) –Californians have discovered Southern Oregon University (SOU). So have Oregonians, Hispanics, foreign students, transfer students and graduate students. SOU experienced record growth this fall in every category the university measures.
SOU President Mary Cullinan notes, “All of Oregon’s public universities grew this fall. We’re an affordable option in a difficult economy. But SOU’s growth is exceptional. We’re the only university of its kind on the West Coast. We’re a public university with a focus on connecting students with faculty and with the region. We’re committed to powerful programs in the arts and the sciences—but also to professional programs in education and business that educate the professional workforce of this region. We’ve worked hard to get the news out about SOU. And now we’ve been discovered.”

• The following are highlights from fall term 2010 enrollment figures: • Headcount is 6,443, a 26.2% increase over fall 2009, and the highest enrollment for any term in the university’s history.
• Full Time Equivalent (FTE) enrollment is 4,524, 15.1% more than fall 2009, and also an all time record.
• Hispanic enrollment saw a dramatic increase, up 46.3% this fall, helping to raise minority student enrollment to 12.5%. This is the most diverse fall term in SOU history.
• Fall 2010 represents SOU’s largest new transfer class ever – 674 students, an increase of 36% over fall 2009.
• Fall term 2010 includes SOU’s largest new graduate class in the institution’s history, a 3.9% increase over fall 2009.
• California student enrollment is up 37.9% over last fall, the largest number of California students in institutional history. Total non‐resident enrollment is up 22.6%. In total, 37.4% of the new class this fall is non‐resident.
• Resident first time freshmen enrollment is up 15.5%. Campus housing is filled to capacity this fall.
• Freshmen retention increased to 70.4%, reflecting a continuing trend of improved retention rates. By comparison, SOU retained 62.8% of new students in 2003.
• Foreign student enrollment increased 22.2% from fall 2009. Even with the dramatic growth, SOU still has capacity and is busily recruiting more students. Applications for fall 2011 are already well ahead of this time last year.

SOU is also developing new programs. Agreements were recently signed with several Chinese campuses to send business students to SOU. The university’s Emerging Media and Digital Art program is expanding this fall and has a new program director. On‐line course offerings have increased 144% over 2008 offerings. The National Science Foundation has recently awarded close to a million dollars in grants for equipment and expansion of laboratories.
“No other undergraduate liberal arts campus in the West can top SOU for quality, affordability, accessibility, and location,” says President Cullinan. “SOU’s inspiring faculty, connected learning, creative spirit, and beautiful location make this campus a magnet for motivated students. I couldn’t be happier about that.”