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HATTIESBURG
– Spring
enrollment is up by 124 students at The University of Southern Mississippi
in comparison with a year ago, including a healthy increase of students
attending classes on the Gulf Coast campuses.
"Our enrollment
growth confirms that students continue to be attracted to the quality
and diversity of our outstanding academic programs at Southern Miss,
as well as to the many available opportunities that promote quality
of life outside the classroom," said university President Shelby
Thames.
The 2003 spring
enrollment for all campuses is 14,121 – an increase of 124
students over the enrollment of 13,997 recorded for the spring semester
last year, according to final figures released Wednesday by Dr.
Homer "Bucky" Wesley, associate vice president for student
affairs and admissions.
The latest
enrollment includes 12,331 students on the Hattiesburg compared
to 12,275 a year ago – representing an increase of less than
one-half of 1 percent. The rise in enrollment on the Gulf Coast
campuses from 1,723 last year to 1,790 this year, however, represents
a student increase of nearly 4 percent.
"Enrollment
gains at our Gulf Coast campuses reflect the strength of our offerings
there and reaffirm our commitment to meet the educational needs
of residents in that burgeoning area of the state," said Thames.
With a new
academic structure soon to be implemented at Southern Miss, university
officials said students should begin finding enrollment procedures
and student services easier to access within their respective new
colleges. They predicted the changes will have a positive effect
on future enrollment figures.
Southern Miss
posted a third straight record enrollment of 15,267 last fall –
including 13,485 on the Hattiesburg and 1,774 on the Gulf Coast.
Spring enrollment at most colleges and universities traditionally
drops off somewhat from fall to spring as a result of normal attrition.
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