Compared to last summer, this year's summer enrollment shows a slight increase, according to Rod Jensen, assistant dean at the University College and Extension Services.
Before the start of the third session, 13,229 students were enrolled. At the same time last year, 13,220 students were enrolled, Jensen said.
"It fluctuates a little from year to year, but the first session is always the largest." About 40 percent to 45 percent of the students enroll in the first session, about 30 percent to 35 percent in the second session and the rest in the third session, Jensen said.
"Historically, English, psychology and social work really have generated a tremendous amount of enrollment," Jensen said.
In conjunction with the academic department, University College and Extension Services issues a report at the end of the term to project what courses are in highest demand.
"We try to meet the needs of the students ... and I think we have gotten wiser in responding to what the students need in terms of courses," Jensen said.
Besides offering the schedule of classes and sending out mailing lists, University College and Extension Services also has had its own web site for three years.
"[On the Internet] we try to provide current information up to the start of the semester in terms of courses that are changed or added," Jensen said. It is proven that more and more students have responded to the web site, he said.
After the record summer enrollment of 15,042 students in 1994, the figures dropped for two years but have now stabilized. Last year 13,627 students were enrolled in summer session courses, Jensen said.
"I expect this year to finish somewhere around 13,640 to 13,650 students," Jensen said. Based upon the trend that has happened, I can only suspect that our enrollments will also increase as the overall enrollment increases, he added.