Fall University Enrollment Tops 4000, First Time in TAMIU History

Laredo's Texas A&M International University has posted an historic increase in enrollment that sees 4079 students enrolled this Fall.

The growth represents a 9.5% increase in enrollment. Last Fall's enrollment was 3724. Semester credit hours, upon which State funding is based, has also climbed to 39,848, up 8.5% over last Fall's 36,726 SCH.

The official Fall enrollment figures, which will be reported to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board this week, were announced in a special reception in the Student Center lobby attended by students, faculty, administration and staff members.

Undergraduate students number 3118, while 961, or 24%, are enrolled in the University's graduate programs. Of those enrolling in graduate study, 43% hold undergraduate degrees from TAMIU.

TAMIU president Dr. Ray Keck said the growth is especially encouraging to the University in light of the budget challenges of the past year.

"Despite the cuts, as grows the University, so grows Laredo and the futures of our students and graduates. With the addition of new facilities this year, like our Center for the Fine and Performing Arts and the approach of our new Science Building, and additional student housing, we're very excited by the student response and decision to get what they want out of life at TAMIU," Dr. Keck said.

"Clearly, we are continuing to follow a pattern that has held since the last biennium, when we reported a 24.6% enrollment increase. That growth is being sustained and the University and its programs are continuing to provide local and regional students with the access to higher education that they seek and need," Keck added.

He provided additional information on the Fall Semester 2003 class:

The most popular undergraduate majors are Early Childhood Education, Criminal Justice and Business Administration.

The most popular graduate majors are Education, post-baccalaureate certification, the MBA in Business Administration and the MS in Education Administration.

The programs with the largest percentage of growth in the last two years at the undergraduate level are are the Music program, opened last year, and the Early Childhood- Bilingual Education program. At the graduate level, the MS in Educational Administration and the MS in Criminal Justice are posting the largest growth.

The overall average student age is 26 with undergraduates averaging 24 and graduates 32. The oldest student is 71 while the youngest is 16.

Female students outnumber males 2591 to 1488 and 90 percent of students identify themselves as minority, including Hispanic, African-American, Asian and Other. The average age of first year students is 18.75, Of first-year students, 64% indicate they are the first in their family to pursue higher education. Sixty-eight percent are receiving financial aid from the University.

While 84% students come to the University from Webb County, the University is seeing an increase in student enrollment from Zapata, Maverick, Bexar and Jim Hogg counties.

Some 38 countries are represented in the total student population and 6% of students are identified as international. The student traveling the furthest to attend the University this semester hails from China.

Early registration for the Spring Semester 2004 will be getting underway Nov. 10- 21. Classes will begin Jan. 19, 2004.

For additional information, please contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at 326.2180.

University office hours are from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.