For the first time in a decade, enrollment has increased. Enrollment decreased for the 11th year in 2022.
According to Inside Indiana Business, enrollment for the 2023-2024 academic year went up by 1.2%, totaling 9,286 students.
Troy Miller, vice president for Strategic Enrollment Management, said USI had a rise in freshman enrollment by about 30 students from last year.
“We had a little over 1,283 new students that started with us this past fall,” Miller said. “That’s about 30 students more than we had the previous year, almost a two-and-a-half percent increase.”
Miller said the increase in freshman enrollment is a result of recruitment in high schools in the Vanderburgh County area.
“We’ve protected our backyard in the Vanderburgh County area,” Miller said. “We’ve been far more intentional at relationship building with our high schools.”
Del Doughty, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said while USI’s enrollment increased, the United States national average for enrollment was down in comparison to recent years.
“It feels especially good because it runs counter to a nationwide trend,” Doughty said.
“Nationwide this year, freshman enrollment was down, but it was up in our college,” Doughty said. “The fact that we were able to sort of reverse, not just a local trend, but go against the grain of a broader national trend, was good.”
Miller said the increase in freshman enrollment is beneficial for USI, but student retention is important.
“USI has about a 70% fall-to-fall student retention rate. We lose about three out of 10 students,” Miller said. “If we can get better at retaining more students that are staying here, while we’re also bringing in more new students, those things are going to be crucial to us increasing overall enrollment at the institution.”
Miller said the increase in enrollment allows for more funding for USI, which benefits everyone.
“USI is not unlike a lot of colleges and institutions,” Miller said. “Enrollment allows the institution to do the things that they need to do for students.”
Doughty said he feels proud of the school and its successful efforts in increasing enrollment.
“I feel great about it,” Doughty said. “It’s the first time in a while that our enrollment has increased and it took a lot of hard work from a lot of people, but it feels great.”
Doughty said the more people who enroll, “the better off we all are.”
“We believe in what we do and what we offer people,” Doughty said. “The more people who enroll and study and try to improve themselves, the better off we all are.”