Articulation agreements with regional colleges and budget woes in the higher-education system of California have helped Southern Oregon University enjoy one of its most successful terms.
This term 5,624 students are enrolled at SOU, making it the most populated winter term in the University’s history. It is also the second largest student population at SOU, runner-up to fall term 1999, in which 5,772 students were enrolled.
Full-time student numbers at SOU are also up with 4,093, a number that hasn’t been surpassed since winter 2004.
According to SOU President Mary Cullinan the increase in students is due to, “good planning, sustained effort, and many people working together to attract students and help them be successful.”
Although the University has been affected by budget cuts and has had to raise student fee dollars and tuition fees, it has been able to maintain a competitive out-of-state tuition fee.
Maintaining a competitive out-of-state tuition and appealing to students in California has been a successful recipe for SOU administrators. Last term SOU attracted over 500 Californian students for the first time, and the number raised to 572 this term, the highest ever for winter enrollment.
Articulation agreements with colleges, primarily in northern California, have allowed students to easily transfer to SOU while keeping the same amount of credits and paying close to the same price. Colleges and universities in northern California are struggling to admit students due to budgetary restraints.
According to Jonathan Eldgridge, SOU is becoming a better option for Californian students that may be seeking to transfer. The number of students that transfer to SOU is up 24 percent from last year. This term 114 new students transferred to SOU.
With articulation agreements SOU can assure that students will not have to retake general education courses before they return to working on their majors. SOU director of marketing and media relations Jim Beaver has called the transition “seamless,” for students. SOU also has the California Transfer Scholarship to help attract transfers from the state.
Also, over 47 graduate students are attending SOU this term, the highest ever for a winter term. The lulling national economy is thought to be driving some of the work force back in school, to hone resumes and gain more qualifications.
