PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University enrollment figures show a slight increase
in student enrollment, but a small decrease in the class loads they are taking.
The incoming freshman class, while somewhat smaller than last year’s record enrollment of
2,978, is the fourth largest incoming class in the past 12 years, with 2,487 new students.
“We are very pleased that these incoming freshmen represent a very high caliber of
student,” says Provost and Academic Vice President Gretchen Bataille. “Their incoming grade
point averages and college entrance exam scores are even better than those of last year’s class.”
Another bright spot in the enrollment picture is the WSU Honors College. More than 1,300
honors students will be enrolled this year at WSU Pullman. That compares with 1,214 last fall.
The average GPA of incoming honors freshmen is 3.83 and their average SAT score is 1250.
University officials are disappointed in declining minority enrollments. This fall, 284
freshmen of various minority groups are enrolled. Last year, there were 406 in the same
categories.
“We think this might be one of the chilling effects from Initiative 200,” says Bataille. The
measure, which was approved by voters in 1998, prevents state agencies, including the
university, from giving preference to minorities. “We have already begun follow-up research to
determine why these students chose not to attend WSU.”
System wide, WSU has a total headcount enrollment of 21,153, compared with 20,960 in 1998.
WSU Pullman now has a total headcount enrollment of 17,964 with 17,669 full-time
equivalent (FTE) students. This represents an increase of .5 percent in headcount with a 1.3
percent decline in FTE. This includes 1,028 students enrolled in extended degree programs.
At WSU Spokane, headcount enrollment is 553 students, an increase of 37.9 percent. FTE is
488, an increase of 17 percent.
WSU Tri-Cities has a headcount of 1,123, which is a 1.4 percent decline. However, there are
612 FTE, an increase of 1.2 percent.
At WSU Vancouver, headcount enrollment is 1,545, a 2.0 percent increase, and 1,023 FTE,
an increase of 4.0 percent.
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