Enrollment up in the CSU system

Fall 1995 enrollment in the California State University system jumped by more than 5,500 students compared to fall 1994, constituting the largest rise in enrollment in five years.

System wide enrollment rose to 324,882 students from 319,368 students in fall 1994, according to a report from the CSU Chancellor's Office. The additional 5,514 students at the 20 universities represent a 1.7 percent increase.

The number of full-time equivalent students - those taking at least 15 units - also increased to 250,845 from 244,881 in fall 1994.

Cal State Long Beach is one of many CSU campuses that experienced an increase in both total student enrollment and the number of full-time equivalent students. Total enrollment reached 26,403, compared to 26,277 in 1994. The number of full-time equivalent students at CSULB has risen by 306 students to 19,728.

CSULB's increase in enrollment was not enough to keep its status as the system's second-largest campus. San Diego State remains the system's largest campus at 29,350 students, followed by San Francisco State at 26,796. San Francisco State surpassed CSULB for the first time, according to the Chancellor's Office report.

"The slight increase in state funding beginning in 1994- 95, and the 4.2 percent increase this academic year allowed the system to offer more classes and hire additional faculty, which attributes to the increase in student enrollment," said Colleen Bentley-Adler, associate director for public affairs for the Chancellor's Office.

Another factor boosting enrollment, Bentley-Adler said, is that for the first time since 1986-87 there was no increase in the State University Fee that all students must pay. The fee has remained constant at $1,584 a year, ranking among the lowest fee for any university system in the country, Bentley-Adler said.

Since the loss of about $200 million in state funding between 1990-91 and 1993-94, student enrollment in the CSU system steadily declined from a high of 369,053 in 1990.

"After the drop in funding and of student enrollment, all campuses have been recruiting heavily," Bentley-Adler said. "There is a direct correlation between the level of campus outreach and the increase of enrollment."