SOU Enrollment Increases

(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University has seen its enrollment climb to more than 6,200 students this fall, an increase of more than 1 percent compared to fall 2013. The enrollment numbers represent the first year-over-year increase in fall term enrollment since 2011.
The increase comes despite previous Oregon University System projections that predicted an enrollment decrease for SOU this fall. In order to overcome those dour projections, faculty and staff at SOU worked hard over the spring and summer to identify potential new students. With the enrollment increase, SOU bucks statewide and national trends, where university enrollment has experienced a general decline.
Two major factors in SOU’s enrollment increase are new transfer students and new freshmen coming into SOU. New transfers are up more than 8 percent from last year, while new freshmen have increased by about 10 percent, constituting the largest freshman class in the last 10 years at SOU.
“Students don’t decide to attend SOU by happenstance,” said Dr. Roy Saigo, SOU president. “These numbers reflect a lot of hard work by a lot of people. They also indicate that our programs and faculty are extremely well respected. Students want to learn from the best and leave with a degree that is valued. They know they will find both at SOU.”
SOU is now accepting applications for winter, spring, summer, and fall 2015 terms.
-SOU-
About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.