DSC also posted the System’s highest percentage gain in full-time equivalency (FTE*) enrollment this spring at 27.23% with 5,352, a 1,145 FTE increase from 4,207 in the spring of 2009, while Dixie’s budget-related FTE saw a system-leading increase of 26.93% with 5,261 students, a 1,117 student BR-FTE increase compared to 4,144 students this time last year. Dixie State also saw a 26% increase in upper division enrollment with 1,843 total headcount, up 378 students from early 2009.

“The strength of our enrollment is an exciting indication of the value that students see in receiving an education at Dixie State College,” stated DSC President Dr. Stephen D. Nadauld. “We’re anticipating that our growth will continue in the future, though not at such an accelerated rate.”

President Nadauld praised the hard work of Dixie’s faculty and staff in responding to the classroom and educational needs of the students. He went on to say that he recognizes the added stress this type of growth puts on Dixie’s current infrastructure and is hopeful the state takes notice of that stress in order to assist the College maintain its educational mission for the region.

“We certainly recognize that we are an open-access institution and we are fulfilling our mission to enroll all these students that are presenting themselves at our doors,” President Nadauld said. “We’re pleased to that we’re able to fulfill that mission and hope that we can continue to do so despite the budget cuts, but our ability to respond is going to be dramatically hindered if we do not get some more resources from the state to help us.”

Last fall, DSC posted a USHE system-high 22.78% increase in total headcount with 7,911 students, while Dixie’s full-time equivalency (FTE*) figures for the fall semester also rose a system-best 25% with 5,569 students. In addition, the College’s Budget Related FTE experienced the highest-percentage increase in USHE at over 25% overall with 5,420 students.

Part of Dixie State’s extraordinary enrollment growth last fall was a 22% increase in first-time freshmen with 1,741 students, the largest freshman class in school history, which included 1,231 new freshmen just out of high school.

Overall, student enrollment at the nine Utah public institutions rose 9.48% from 2009 with an increase of 13,104 total students.

*One FTE is defined as any combination of 15 units of credit enrolled in by one or more students. For example, if a student is taking 15 credit hours, that equals one FTE. If 15 students take one credit, that equals one FTE as well.