ETSU’s fall 2004 enrollment sets several all-time institutional records, according to President Paul E. Stanton Jr., who announced a record student headcount, full-time equivalency (FTE), transfer and graduate student enrollments.
Stanton said he is thrilled with these increases and the fact that record numbers of students have made ETSU their university of choice.
He attributes this to the institution’s quality enhancements, the university’s increased focus on student success, strong efforts at expanding graduate education, and strengthening the services provided to potential and enrolled transfer students.
Student headcount, up 2 percent over last year, represents the highest enrollment in the university’s history. The fall 2004 FTE, is also the highest in the history of the institution, up 1.3 percent over the previous fall semester. And, transfer students are also at an institution high, topping the fall 2003 record which reflected a 13.4 percent increase.
The overall university headcount for fall 2004 is 12,111 compared to last fall’s 11,877. The figure includes the James H. Quillen College of Medicine’s 234 medical students and 242 physicians enrolled in residency and fellowship programs.
Vice Provost for Enrollment Services Dr. Nancy Dishner indicates that the greatest increases from last fall’s enrollment profile are in total undergraduates, up 1.2 percent, and graduate students, up 6.3 percent, with doctoral student enrollment up an impressive 37 percent.
Dr. Wes Brown, vice provost for academic affairs and dean of the school of graduate studies, stated that significant graduate growth is marked at the master’s level in the areas of social work, mathematics, public health and education. He announced that doctoral student increases are noted in physical therapy, audiology, nursing and leadership studies.
It is possible that fall enrollment figures are being negatively impacted by a significant number of ETSU students who have been called to active military duty.
Institutional officials add, however, they are pleased to see the first few students reenrolling at ETSU after the completion of their terms on active duty. And an important and positive change for many ETSU students has been the initiation of the Tennessee Educational Lottery Scholarship (TELS).
Nearly 1,650 ETSU students are recipients of the TELS. This award of $3,000-$4,000, annually, will be a major factor in the funding of their college educations.

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