University Center keeps seeing increased enrollment
Posted: Monday, June 23, 2008
SIOUX FALLS (AP) -- In its annual report to the Board of Regents, the University Center in Sioux Falls says enrollment continues to set records as educators await the completion of a new classroom building and a research center.
The University Center is a partnership with the University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University, Dakota State University and Northern State University. Its summer 2007 headcount was 1,011 students, fall 2007 was 2,089 students and the spring enrollment was 2,154 students.
Fall's enrollment showed an 8.4 percent headcount increase and an 11 percent jump in total credit hours delivered, the report indicated.
A chart showed the University Center with the second-highest headcount among nine Sioux Falls higher education institutions that listed students for fall 2007. Southeast Technical Institute reported a headcount of 2,201 students that semester.
University Center enrollment has increased 80 percent since 2000, according to the report. Fifty-one percent of the students are older than 23, with the average age at 26.6 years.
"Our core student is one who attends only or predominantly at University Center. This group made up 1,795 or about 86 percent of the total students," the document said.
Just over half the students took one class or two classes, and the average credit-hour load was 8.3 hours. Some students also take classes on a main university campus or through distance education.
Almost two-thirds of the students are female.
The center offers associate, bachelor's degree, master's degree and some doctorate-level programs.
A new classroom building and research center are expected to be done in December. The report says the highest priority is to make sure the classroom building is ready for classes in January, adding almost 60,000 square feet of academic space.
The research building will add 21,000 square feet, which will bring the University Center to almost 145,000 square feet, according to the report.
"Likewise, as demand supports, we will move more classes into the daytime hours," the report to the regents states. "University Center used to be almost completely an evening program. Now, however, there is significant expressed demand for daytime classes.
"We see a time when our classrooms are full from late morning until 10 p.m. most every day."
The center's given name is the South Dakota Public Universities & Research Center. It used to be known as USDSU.
The University Center is a partnership with the University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University, Dakota State University and Northern State University. Its summer 2007 headcount was 1,011 students, fall 2007 was 2,089 students and the spring enrollment was 2,154 students.
Fall's enrollment showed an 8.4 percent headcount increase and an 11 percent jump in total credit hours delivered, the report indicated.
A chart showed the University Center with the second-highest headcount among nine Sioux Falls higher education institutions that listed students for fall 2007. Southeast Technical Institute reported a headcount of 2,201 students that semester.
University Center enrollment has increased 80 percent since 2000, according to the report. Fifty-one percent of the students are older than 23, with the average age at 26.6 years.
"Our core student is one who attends only or predominantly at University Center. This group made up 1,795 or about 86 percent of the total students," the document said.
Just over half the students took one class or two classes, and the average credit-hour load was 8.3 hours. Some students also take classes on a main university campus or through distance education.
Almost two-thirds of the students are female.
The center offers associate, bachelor's degree, master's degree and some doctorate-level programs.
A new classroom building and research center are expected to be done in December. The report says the highest priority is to make sure the classroom building is ready for classes in January, adding almost 60,000 square feet of academic space.
The research building will add 21,000 square feet, which will bring the University Center to almost 145,000 square feet, according to the report.
"Likewise, as demand supports, we will move more classes into the daytime hours," the report to the regents states. "University Center used to be almost completely an evening program. Now, however, there is significant expressed demand for daytime classes.
"We see a time when our classrooms are full from late morning until 10 p.m. most every day."
The center's given name is the South Dakota Public Universities & Research Center. It used to be known as USDSU.
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