Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

A newsletter for faculty, staff and students

September-October 2005 • Vol. 31, No. 5

College and campus enrollment at record highs

A record number of 1,529 students was enrolled in Bumpers College courses this fall. The addition of 90 students over last fall is an increase of 6 percent. Campus-wide enrollment also was a record high of 17,821, which is 3.2 percent more than last fall. (See UA enrolls record number, 17,821)

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BASH - Bumpers College Ambassador Ashley Swaffar of Farmington, left, deals blackjack to students, from left, Daniel Webber of Atoka, Okla., Jeff Young of Washington, D.C., Ambassador Lindy Medlock of Little Rock, Stacey Smith of Batesville, Valerie Brewer of Prairie Grove and Neda Tilley of Leslie. The Back to School Bash Sept. 8 was hosted by the College Ambassadors and featured barbecue, live music and games of chance in which students, faculty and staff played for door prize tickets.

Undergraduate enrollment in the College increased by 82 students, or 7 percent, to a total of 1,232, which is the most since 1980.  Since 1997, the undergraduate enrollment has increased 50 percent, leading all colleges on campus.

Total enrollment has increased nine straight years, and undergraduate enrollment has grown in seven of the last eight years.

The number of students pursuing graduate degrees declined from 289 last fall to 264 this fall. There were an additional 33 master's and Ph.D. students in interdisciplinary degree programs, for a total of 297 students in graduate programs.

The largest increases in undergraduate enrollment by major are in the School of Human Environmental Sciences. Apparel Studies has the most of any major at 211, which is 33 more than last fall. Foods, Human Nutrition and Hospitality added 22 students for a total of 133.

Other growth areas were Biological Engineering, +15 (83) (counted in both the College of Engineering and Bumpers College); Agribusiness, +12 (102); Human Development and Family Science, +12 (84); Animal Science, +11 (147); and Environmental Soil and Water Science, +10 (54).

The College continues to work toward a goal of 2,000 undergraduates and 500 graduate students by the year 2010.

Three of the benchmark growth measurements for the College that reflect very positive results are:

• A 26 percent increase in new freshmen enrolled, with 209 this fall compared to 165 last fall.
• Freshman year retention of 83 percent. The 2010 goal is 85 percent.
• Six-year graduation rate improved dramatically from 53 percent to 64.1  percent, which is near the 2010 goal of 66 percent and leads all colleges this year.