I started this here because I'm sure it will end up having smack as part of the discussion. I have argued for a couple of years now that USD's campus has been declining in enrollment while their part time enrollment in Sioux Falls and online gets spun to make it look like they were growing. Finally, the BOR has released a report that shows a true enrollment analysis.
USD's on campus enrollment had dropped from 6,230 in 2007 down to 6,029 last year. You can check out the report here on page 4: http://www.sdbor.edu/theboard/items/2012/13.pdf. Their off campus degree seeking and off campus non degree seeking is where all of their growth has occured. Meanwhile SDSU has seen growth in on campus enrollment of over 500 students.
This is an important report. Students who attend classes on campus are more connected, the come to the campus regularly, and they go to athletic games for free. A 3 credit online student doesn't join a club on campus, eat in the union, or socially engage in a way that makes them want to come back for games or Hobo Day/D-Day etc. Engaged students make for engaged alumni.
The report also highlights an almost 4,000 student gap in on campus enrollment between SDSU and USD with a rounded 10,000 versus 6,000. For example, if 20% of students come to football games that is 2,000 students at SDSU football games and 1,200 at USD games. No wonder the USD fan board talks about lack of student attendance. They are setting their student attendance expectations based on a school of 10,000 students when 40% of their reported enrollment doesn't even come to campus for class let alone games.
USD's on campus enrollment had dropped from 6,230 in 2007 down to 6,029 last year. You can check out the report here on page 4: http://www.sdbor.edu/theboard/items/2012/13.pdf. Their off campus degree seeking and off campus non degree seeking is where all of their growth has occured. Meanwhile SDSU has seen growth in on campus enrollment of over 500 students.
This is an important report. Students who attend classes on campus are more connected, the come to the campus regularly, and they go to athletic games for free. A 3 credit online student doesn't join a club on campus, eat in the union, or socially engage in a way that makes them want to come back for games or Hobo Day/D-Day etc. Engaged students make for engaged alumni.
The report also highlights an almost 4,000 student gap in on campus enrollment between SDSU and USD with a rounded 10,000 versus 6,000. For example, if 20% of students come to football games that is 2,000 students at SDSU football games and 1,200 at USD games. No wonder the USD fan board talks about lack of student attendance. They are setting their student attendance expectations based on a school of 10,000 students when 40% of their reported enrollment doesn't even come to campus for class let alone games.
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