IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9-13-06 CONTACT: PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
SILVER CITY—Online classes at Western New Mexico University have increased by 60 percent this semester while overall enrollment continues to see a correction from artificially high enrollments just a few years ago. Preliminary enrollment figures for the fall semester at WNMU show a decrease of 1.75 percent when compared to the same period last year.
Enrollment in online classes has increased significantly from 1421 student credit hours at the end of the semester last fall to 2278 student credit hours as of Sept. 8, census day. That figure is expected to increase as students enroll in other class offerings during the semester.
“As a regional university, our responsibility is to provide access to quality education and online programs offer students who are time and place bound the opportunity to pursue a college education,” said Donna Rees, Dean of the Extended University. “This fall we offered more than 70 courses online and we launched our online Bachelor of Applied Science Criminal Justice program. We will continue to expand our online offerings to better serve our students.”
According to Betsy Miller, registrar, current enrollment figures show that 2581 total students are attending classes at Western. The overall total includes figures from the extended education centers located in Deming, Gallup and Truth or Consequences.
Last year at this time there were 2627 students enrolled in the combined areas during the comparable period.
The total credit hours reported for all campuses for this fall semester are 25,072 compared to 26,408 for last year at census date, down 5.06 percent.
The continued decline in enrollment, particularly on the main campus, was expected as displaced workers that WNMU has re-trained have returned to the workforce, said Chris Farren, WNMU Vice President for Student Affairs.
Enrollment will continue to increase as various short courses are offered during the semester. The fall semester concludes on December 11.
-30-