UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS SPRING ENROLLMENT FIGURES INDICATES INCREASED DIVERSITY ON CAMPUS

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — University of Arkansas spring semester enrollment is up slightly over last year and minority enrollment continues to rise. Total enrollment for the spring 2003 is 15,068, up from 15,005 in spring 2002.

Spring enrollment is down 967 from fall 2002 enrollment of 16,035. According to Ed Schroeder, interim director of admissions, drops in spring enrollment are typical for the University and are mainly attributed to students who have completed their coursework in December and graduate in the spring.

"There are always students who don’t return for various reasons," said Schroeder. "We can attribute some of this to natural attrition."

In the area of diversity, the enrollment for most ethnic groups is up over spring 2002 figures. There were 290 American Indian or Alaskan Natives this spring, compared with 283 last year. Asian students number 400, up from 396. African American students are up 2.9 percent at 969 enrolled this spring, compared with 942 last spring. The highest jump is among Latino or Hispanic students at 10.8 percent or 236 enrolled this spring compared to 213 last year.

Among freshman students, 2,361 are enrolled in the spring semester, a drop from 2,591 in the fall semester. An increase of 6.7 percent was reported for sophomores with 2,725 for spring 2003 compared with 2,555 last year.

A breakdown of the report is attached with specific academic, gender, and ethnicity and by college classification.

-30-