09/27/11 ks

HAYS, Kan. -- Fort Hays State University, which has more than doubled its enrollment over the past decade, announced yet another all-time headcount record for the official 20th-day of the fall semester, which was Monday, Sept. 19.

"We had significant increases in all three of our modalities, which are students on the Hays campus, students at our partner universities in China and students in our Virtual College," Dr. Edward H. Hammond, FHSU president, said during an afternoon news conference. "Our total 20th-day headcount is 12,802, which is a 7.7-percent increase from one year ago. That is an increase of 919 students from last fall and the largest enrollment in the 109-year history of our university."

The Kansas Board of Regents uses the 20th day of classes as the official enrollment day to provide a standard basis for comparison from year to year. This year's numbers were announced after the last of the Regents universities passed its 20th day.

On-campus headcount this fall is 4,683 students. Last fall it was 4,415 students. That is an increase of 268 students, or 6.1 percent.

Headcount of FHSU students at partner universities in China this fall is 3,615. Last fall it was 3,459 students. That is an increase of 156 students, or 4.5 percent.

Headcount this fall in the Virtual College is 4,504 students. Last fall it was 4,009 students. That is an increase of 495 students, or 12.3 percent. The Virtual College makes a college education accessible to students who might not be able to relocate to a university community by delivering courses at locations and times that fit their busy schedules. It delivers "mediated" courses from FHSU's College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business and Leadership, College of Education and Technology, and College of Health and Life Sciences through various formats, including but not limited to interactive television, video, CD-ROM and the Internet.

"Even with our steady upward trend in enrollment over the past decade, numbers in some categories have fluctuated," President Hammond said. "This year is extraordinary in that the enrollment numbers have increased not only in our three main modalities but also in nearly every category within those modalities."

The president cited several significant examples:

· The total for the incoming, on-campus freshman class is 926, which is the largest since such records have been kept. That compares to 907 in fall 1997, following the NCAA Division II men's basketball championship, which was the previous high. The 926 this year is an increase of 72 students, or 8.4 percent, from the fall 2010 freshman class. With a total of 87, it is also the largest freshman class ever from Colorado.

· There continues to be a tremendous increase in the number of Hispanic students, which is a point of emphasis with the Regents. The number of Hispanic students on campus is 286, an increase of 43 -- or 17.7 percent -- which is an all-time record. In addition, there are 368 Hispanic students in the Virtual College, an increase from last fall of 118, or 47.2 percent.

· On-campus international student enrollment is another targeted area for growth. The number of international students on campus this fall is 395, an increase from last fall of 71, or 21.9 percent.

· Graduate enrollment is also up. The number of graduate students on campus is 416, an increase from last fall of 35, or 9.2 percent. The number of graduate students in the Virtual College is 1,228, an increase from last fall of 43, or 3.6 percent.

· This fall also marks the largest class of transfer students in the history of FHSU. There are 530 students who transferred from other schools, which is an increase of 113, or 27.1 percent, from last year.

The president said it was especially important to note that FHSU continues to put emphasis on serving Kansans. He said 78.4 percent of the incoming freshmen on campus are Kansas residents, and 46 percent are from western Kansas. Also, other than FHSU students enrolled in Chinese universities, he pointed out that 6,441 of the 9,187 students, both on campus and in the Virtual College, are Kansans. "That is an increase of 318 Kansans since last fall," he said.

FHSU gave raises to faculty and staff for the current year -- the first raises in three years -- and the raises were based in part on the expectation that enrollment numbers would continue to rise. "It is gratifying to see that our confidence was rewarded," he said.

President Hammond thanked faculty and staff for their efforts in producing the university's record growth over the past several years. "I extend congratulations to all those involved in the recruitment of on-campus students and Virtual College students for this fall," he said. "We are nearing the 13,000 mark. We all know the challenging work it has been as we have grown to this size and the impact on service units, especially Residential Life, and on our faculty. The 268 more students on campus, including 72 additional freshmen and 113 transfer students, is an achievement worth celebrating."