1. Introduction
2. Enrollment Growth
3. Campus Enrollment Briefs
4. Diversity
5. Student Success
6. College Pathways
7. Internships

The Governor's Recommended Budget (GRB) will enable OUS universities to maintain enrollment of more than 80,000 students per year in 2005-2007 (Fall 2004 enrollment was 80,066). Enrollment increases were not funded in this budget. The State Board and the campuses will work together to align campus plans with the Board's priority initiatives to assess and address any capacity issues.

Enrollment Overview Fall 2004

Oregon University System headcount enrollment reached 80,066 as of the fourth week of fall term 2004, up 0.6% over fall 2003. For the seventh year in a row OUS has reached an all-time enrollment high. The Full Time Equivalent (FTE) enrollment, however, declined 0.4%. This reduction in carrying load may be related to increased tuition and changes in the tuition plateau, which in many cases had previously allowed students to take from 12 to 18 credits for the same tuition cost.

OUS Fall 4th Week Headcount: 1995 to 2013

The graph of past and projected enrollment shows steady increases. The sharp rise starting in 1999 coincides with increased funding from the legislature for OUS. The number of high school graduates continues to increase, and the growth in jobs both in Oregon and nationally is projected to be in areas requiring a bachelor's degree or higher.

FTE Definition - Full Time Equivalence (FTE) measures the total credit-bearing activity of a campus. The full time equivalent for an undergraduate is 15 credit hours per term or 45 credit hours per year, for a master's or professional student the number is 12 credit hours per term or 36 credit hours per year, and for a doctoral student the number is 9 credit hours per term or 27 credit hours per year.

Pipeline Growth

The unusually strong growth over the past five years has created a full pipeline of students and resulted in the largest graduating classes in OUS history. The student body has become richer in both resident students and undergraduates during this period. Although yield of first time freshmen was down 1.3%, from 9,861 in fall 2003 to 9,730 in fall 2004 from a comparable high school graduating class. The academic qualifications of the new freshmen continue to rise, with average high school GPA up from 3.38 to 3.40. Average SAT scores also rose, up from 1,061 in fall 2003 to over 1,071 this year.

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Long Term Growth

Over ten years, OUS has experienced significant growth, adding 19,000 students into the System, roughly the equivalent of an Oregon State University during that time.

2004-05 Growth

While fall 2004 enrollment exceeded 80,000 students, more than 110,000 students are expected to enroll in credit courses at least one term during the 2004-05 academic year. Noncredit offerings are estimated to reach another 200,000 Oregonians.

Undergraduate and Graduate Enrollment Details

New undergraduate transfer students increased in Fall 2004, particularly as more joint programs and collaborative efforts between OUS and community colleges come to fruition. New graduate enrollment declined slightly, with master's level enrollment down, but doctoral enrollment up. The largest percentage loss at 9.7% was in non-admitted graduates, a special group who may have been upgrading their skills while waiting for the job market to improve. International student enrollment was down more than 4.0%, but many universities in other states are reporting much larger declines due to post 9-11 immigration issues. Veterinary medicine enrollment grew considerably, but as part of a planned change in the partnership with Washington State University. Law and Pharmacy professional programs continue to attract students with enrollment up 3.3% and 1.6% respectively.

Freshman and Undergraduate Enrollment

Newly admitted freshman enrollment was down slightly at every campus except EOU and UO. Alternatives for Oregon high school graduates include community colleges and private colleges, out-of-state colleges, the civilian workforce, and the military. Transfer enrollment, including students entering from community colleges, Oregon independent colleges, out-of-state institutions, and inter-institutional OUS transfers, increased at all universities except OSU and UO. Tuition increased significantly starting with the 2002 budget cuts that may have sent more freshmen to community colleges, and now they are transferring to OUS.

For admitted undergraduates, resident enrollment was down compared to 2003, and nonresident enrollment increased.

Minority enrollment increased in every category. Nonresident alien (international students) enrollment declined more than 4%.

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Eastern Oregon University

Fall 2004 enrollment at Eastern Oregon University is up 1.6% to 3,338, the second largest enrollment total in their history. New students, including admitted and non-admitted, increased 8.7% over last fall. Some of the decline in continuing students is due to the large graduating class in June 2004. Partnerships with Treasure Valley Community College and Blue Mountain Community College are part of Eastern's outreach role, and they continue to participate in a partnership with OSU Cascades to offer a Master's of Teacher Education program.

Oregon Institute of Technology

OIT boasts a strong 4.2% increase in fall 2004 enrollment, with a continued increase in new transfer students from within the state as well as beyond its borders. A significant increase in non-admitted undergraduates is due largely to increased numbers of high school students taking college classes. Collaboration with Klamath Community College provides a continuing source of transfer students. OIT has undertaken applied health programs from Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) and continues to offer upper division instruction in the Portland area. Enrollment in their Pre-medical Imaging program in the Klamath Basin grew by 60 students.

Oregon State University - Corvallis

There were fewer newly admitted students at OSU this year, but due to strong retention fall 2004 enrollment still increased in to an all-time high of 19,159, up 1.0%. Growth in resident students of 2.8% more than made up for a loss in nonresidents. OSU had a 10% decline in international students but still increased its graduate enrollment by 2.6%. Veterinary Medicine is breaking its ties with Washington and soon all instruction will be within Oregon. Pharmacy continues to attract students to its professional program.

Oregon State University - Cascades Campus

Headcount enrollment at Cascades Campus in fall 2004 was up 17.4% from 373 in fall 2003 to 438 in fall 2004. Expanded program offerings targeted to the needs of the area, increased visibility, long range planning and the possibility of participation in a local research park have local support remaining strong. Joint or co-enrollment with Central Oregon Community College students continues to grow.

Portland State University

Portland State continues to show enrollment increases and reached 23,486 in fall 2004, up 1.6%, another all time high and making nine years of continued growth. First-time freshman enrollment is down slightly for the first time in many years, but 5.1% more students entered PSU in 2004 than in 2003. PSU has worked with the community college sector offering joint admissions and programs on community college campuses. The University continues to work with OHSU on program partnerships. PSU students continue to come from the Portland area, but it is also attracting students from Oregon high schools and community colleges throughout the state, the West, and internationally.

Southern Oregon University

Southern Oregon University enrollment declined to 5,161 in fall 2004 from 5,505 in fall 2003, down 6.2%. Declines are generally in every category except new transfers and admitted master's students, with nonresident enrollment down more than resident. Increased tuition coupled with high unemployment in northern California and southern Oregon, and a dearth of state financial aid, has had an impact on SOU's ability to recruit students. SOU's hallmark Theatre Arts program continues to attract attention from serious theatre aspirants.

University of Oregon

UO exceeded its fall 2004 enrollment projections mostly due to stronger than expected first-time freshmen enrollment, both resident and nonresident. The 20,339 students is an all time high for UO and, with new transfers declining and graduate enrollment off somewhat, the 1.5% growth reflects strong retention of previously admitted students. The higher admission standards may be contributing to retention, and positive national reviews as an 'excellent buy' in education keep high school graduates interested. Going against the system-wide trend, UO's FTE was also up over fall 2003 by 2.3%, so carrying loads actually increased. UO's entering freshmen had an average high school GPA of 3.49 and an average SAT score of 1,113, both the highest in UO history.

Western Oregon University

Western Oregon University had a declining enrollment in fall 2004 to 4,772 from 5,032 in fall 2003, down 5.2%. Resident freshmen account for much of the decline, though graduate enrollment was also lower. New undergraduate transfers increased 3.9%. WOU had their largest graduating class last year. Nonresident enrollment is steady, but does not account for a large percentage of Western's enrollment.

For additional information on OUS enrollment, go to Enrollment Watch.

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Within OUS, the vision for meeting the needs of a diverse student body is a comprehensive and ongoing consideration that extends beyond numeric representation. OUS institutions have proactively enhanced representation, inclusion, and engagement of diverse students through a variety of initiatives. OUS diversity efforts are designed to support surrounding Oregon communities, address the needs of an increasingly diverse society, promote educational opportunity, and enhance the campus learning environments for all OUS students.

To see the full Diversity Report presented to the Oregon State Board of Higher Education (OSBHE) in summer 2004, including information on each campus' diversity initiatives, please click here.

Student Diversity Like many states, Oregon is experiencing increased racial/ethnic diversity within its population and within the K-12 pipeline. The percentage of students of color in Oregon's public universities is also increasing.

OUS Diversity Key Facts:

• Enrollment increased among every minority group from 2003 to 2004.
• OUS enrollments of African American, American Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic students have increased steadily in recent years.
• In 2004, African-American students had the largest increases, with enrollment growth of 5.3% from fall 2003 to 2004. Both Hispanic and Native American student enrollment increased at a rate of 4% each over the prior year; and Asian American/Pacific Islander students grew by 2%.
• The representation of women continues to increase. In 2004, women represented 53% of all OUS student enrollment.

The tables below show enrollment of specific populations in all Oregon's public 4-year colleges for the current year. Nonresident alien enrollment declined more than 4%, which may be an effect of new immigration standards for international students since 9/11.

Statistical information regarding race and ethnicity at each OUS institution is available in the 2004 Diversity Report at http://www.ous.edu/aca/diversity/diversity_report_2004.pdf

OUS Diversity and Oregon's K-12 Educational Pipeline

The table below provides an overview of race/ethnicity distributions within the general population, among Oregon's public high school graduates, and within the population of first-time freshmen students within OUS institutions during fall 2003.

OUS Diversity Enrollment Over Time

A comprehensive review of five- and ten-year trends in OUS diversity enrollment was completed in 2003. It shows a general increase in enrollments of all student ethnicities, except international students.

Inclusion and Engagement

Initiatives for inclusion of students of color and engagement of the entire campus community provide opportunities to incorporate student diversity into the fabric of all OUS institutions. Examples of these initiatives include campus-wide diversity councils; the enhanced participation of faculty, staff, and students of color throughout the institutions; attention to the incorporation of diversity considerations into the curriculum; events that encourage awareness and celebration of the contributions of diverse individuals and communities; and the production of institutionally- and student-sponsored events that enhance the learning environment.

For university missions, diversity-related statements within university missions, and an overview of current diversity initiatives including campus-wide programs, student outreach and support programs, and faculty/staff initiatives, see the 2004 OUS Diversity Report at http://www.ous.edu/aca/diversity/diversity_report_2004.pdf.

Examples of campus-based initiatives:

• EOU's Native American Adolescent Mentorship Program (NAAMP), a volunteer mentoring program, connects college students and community members with Native American youth. For more information, go to http://www.eou.edu/native/mentor.html
• OIT has a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded program for the development of female faculty members for engineering called PFFEMS, Preparing Future Faculty in Engineering, Mathematics and Science.
• OSU's PROMISE (Professional and Managerial Internships in State Employment) project is a summer program that is in its 12th year of providing students of color with opportunities to gain professional, managerial or technical skills, and experience in positions at the University or in state, county, and local governments. For more information, go to http://oregonstate.edu/promise/
• UO has created and filled the new position of Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity to provide leadership, guidance, and direction for all University equity and diversity matters concerning faculty, students, and staff.
• To further the goal of increasing the number of faculty of color, PSU's Diversity Action Council has established the Diversity Hiring Resource Team (DHRT). Through the work of this team, institutional representatives have learned to encourage a diverse pool of candidates.
• At SOU, The Inclusive Curricula Faculty Learning Community project is intended to transform the existing curriculum toward more inclusiveness. Through this program, faculty members transform their existing courses using inclusive frameworks and teaching pedagogies.
• The OUS general education curriculum has been modified for all students seeking a B.S. degree to include a cultural diversity course requirement. Each B.S. student is required to complete six hours of course work (two courses) emphasizing topics and subjects of cultural diversity.

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High Achievers at OUS

Of Oregon students graduating from high school with a GPA of 3.75-4.00, over one-third attended OUS institutions.

OUS Honors Programs

OUS' honors colleges/programs serve Oregon's highest achieving undergraduates, offering challenging courses with limited enrollment, rigorous standards, and faculty whose professional activities are international in scope and recognition. Honors programs draw and retain talented, top-achieving students in Oregon for their benefit, and for the state's.

• Applications exceed capacity for all OUS Honors programs by several-fold, ample testimony of the momentum and reputation of these Honors opportunities.
• Honors students' persistence and graduation rates are well above institutional averages.
• Honors students are far more likely to achieve advanced degrees, preparing them to contribute to today's society and economy.

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The majority of OUS undergraduates enter as college freshmen. Among fall 2004 undergraduates, 42% entered from Oregon high schools, 45% came in via other common pathways such as transfers from community colleges, and 13% entered from out-of-state high schools.

Transfer Students

An increasing number of students are beginning their postsecondary coursework at community colleges, and others are resourcefully accumulating college credits from multiple sources to meet their educational needs. Based upon the numbers of OUS students who currently follow this path, the transfer student pathway to OUS is a normal and successful process leading to a bachelor's degree.

Key facts:

• Increasing the number of students who successfully transfer credits between OUS and community college campuses is one of seven priorities for the OUS Board Working Group, Excellence in Delivery and Productivity.
• On average, transfer students from Oregon's community colleges perform as well academically as their peers who begin their college experiences on an OUS campus.
• A total of 31% of enrolled students from fall 2004 headcounts transferred to OUS institutions from an Oregon community college, an out-of-state college, or another Oregon college.
• A majority of OUS students, 52% of those who received baccalaureate degrees in 2002-03, used at least some transfer credits toward their degree. This majority includes students who started as OUS freshmen but accumulated transfer credits at community colleges or other institutions during their OUS college careers, in addition to students who started at other colleges and transferred to OUS.
• The number of newly admitted undergraduate transfers from Oregon community colleges has consistently risen in recent years.
• During the 2002-03 school year, 5,491 high school students took Advanced Placement exams in Oregon, showing increases in this activity from the previous year but still below the national average. Providing accelerated learning opportunities for high schools students is an area of focus for the Excellence in Delivery and Productivity Working Group.

Source: OUS Institutional Research Services,
Annual Reports (ERAN-05, Table 5)

According to a system study on Transfer Activity in Oregon Postsecondary Education (2002), an overwhelming percentage of transfer students are Oregon residents. For more extensive information, including transfer student enrollment at each OUS institution, and transfer activity from each Oregon community college, go to
Newly Admitted Undergraduate Transfers from Oregon Community Colleges, Annual Enrollment 2003-04 and

New Undergraduate Transfers from Oregon Community Colleges Academic Years 1993-04 to 2003-04

Dual Enrollment

All OUS institutions have academic partnership agreements with local community colleges, facilitating student pathways between the two. Dual enrollment, co-admission, and articulation agreements offer flexible academic options to the growing number of students who complete a portion of their college coursework at a community college.

• Increasing the number of dual enrollment and articulation agreements between OUS and community college campuses are an effective way to better serve students and support their educational attainment by providing greater academic options. Providing cross-sector enrollment opportunities to students is also one of seven priorities for the OUS Board Working Group, Excellence in Delivery and Productivity.
• A Statewide Oregon Transfer Module has been developed by community college and OUS faculty and administrative leaders to further support increased student credit transfer efficiency and student learning.
• OUS currently has a total of 23 dual enrollment programs, which allow students to enroll at OUS institutions and community colleges simultaneously. Dual enrolled students take advantage of course availability and student services such as academic advising and financial aid at the two campuses.
• OUS institutions also have 54 articulation agreements with community colleges, which are institution-specific agreements in academic majors for the transfer of community college credits toward degree requirements.
• Community college and OUS academic leaders have committed to increasing the implemention of articulation agreements in high demand majors.
• Most OUS campuses offer courses or degree completion programs on community college campuses, increasing student access to upper division courses and bachelor's degrees.

For information on partner campuses and current programs available to students go to: http://www.ous.edu/campcent_dual.htm

Distance Education

OUS campuses have offered on-line and other types of distance education undergraduate degree completion and graduate-level programs for over a decade. In recent years, OUS has participated in expanding computer-based courses, programs, and educational services that benefit both off-campus and on-campus students. In turn, distance education enrollment is growing rapidly, showing that these programs are a vital, growing resource to assist students throughout Oregon to pursue their educational goals.

• Increasing the number of distance education offerings in areas of high student demand such as lower division general education courses is an access priority that is being addressed by OUS and community colleges. It is also one of seven priorities for the OUS Board Working Group, Excellence in Delivery and Productivity.
• A total of 35,150 students enrolled in distance education courses in 2003-04, a one-year increase of 36%; a two-year increase of 59%; and a five-year increase of 345%.
• All seven OUS institutions offer distance education degrees or certificate programs in subjects ranging from Teacher Education to Nursing to Nuclear Engineering.
• Distance education offerings range from single courses, to academic concentrations, to degree programs. Eastern Oregon University is one of 27 colleges nationally to be designated as a federal Distance Education Demonstration Project. In 2003-04, 377 students from 34 Oregon counties received their bachelor's degrees from one of EOU's seven distance education degree programs.
• The Southwest University Center at Southwestern Oregon Community College is managed by Eastern Oregon University and offers distance delivered courses from seven universities and colleges to 236 students.

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Through internships, practica, international experience, community service events, and other means, a great number of OUS students benefit from applying their classroom experiences to work in a real world context.

• Approximately half of OUS bachelor's recipients in a 2004 study reported participating in OUS approved internships or experiential learning as part of their degree program.

• All OUS institutions provide opportunities for internships and experiential learning.

Internships add value for the graduate and employer through increased workplace readiness, preparing students with the specific skills and knowledge crucial to success in their fields. A number of internship programs and experiential learning opportunities are industry driven and supported. Examples of successful OUS programs include:

• Multiple Engineering Cooperative Program (MECOP), founded in 1978, and Civil Engineering Cooperative Program, offers paid internships to OUS engineering students, including valuable hands-on industry experience and an involved company mentor.
• The AeA Scholarships provide opportunities for four-year scholarships, summer internships, and industry mentors to high school seniors planning to study engineering, computer science, or related fields.
• UO's Chip Camp and Poly Camp, gives undergraduate chemistry and physics majors introductions to the microelectronics industry and the industrial applications of polymer science. Students benefit from industry tours as well as the knowledge of professors, graduate students, and industry professionals.
• PSU’s nationally recognized undergraduate program requires all students to have a community-based capstone project. This allows them to work in interdisciplinary teams in a real-world setting, and apply theory and classroom skills to real-world problems, projects and challenges.

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