NU enrollment at 17-year high

University of Nebraska enrollment figures suggest that relatively new scholarship programs are increasing access to college for Nebraskans with financial need.

And the economy might be pushing students toward stable jobs in health care.

The number of first-time freshmen grew this fall by 3.5 percent and helped overall enrollment climb to a 17-year high.

Enrollment at the NU Medical Center climbed 7.7 percent, with the largest growth in undergraduate nursing programs.

This fall, there are 49,897 students attending NU's four campuses and the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis. The system's fall enrollment is the highest since 1993.

Of that total, more than 7,000 are first-time freshmen. An additional 958 are enrolled in undergraduate programs at UNMC.

NU President J.B. Milliken said Friday that enrollment growth is good not only for students, who can dramatically increase their earning potential by getting a degree, but also for the state.

“The more we can do to increase educational attainment in the state, the more competitive we can be in the future,” Milliken said.

The university system's Collegebound Nebraska program guarantees that any Nebraska resident who qualifies for a federal Pell Grant will receive financial aid equal to the cost of tuition.

Generally, a family of four with one student in college would be eligible if it had annual income of $53,000 or less.

The program, which requires students to take a full-time course load and maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average, began with the 2004-05 academic year. Those who demonstrate financial need but don't qualify for a Pell Grant can still get some assistance from Collegebound Nebraska.

Although numbers are not yet available for this school year, NU records show 5,712 were eligible for the program last year.

Another scholarship program, funded by the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, provided tuition, fee and textbook assistance to 923 students in the NU system last year.

New offerings also are attracting students.

For example, 32 students currently attend a UNMC-sponsored nursing program in Norfolk. Dr. Rubens Pamies, vice chancellor for academic affairs, said the highest proportion of the 345 new medical center undergraduates are studying nursing.

“Where are the jobs right now? The jobs are in health care, primarily,” Pamies said. “People are making a wise decision. They know there is a shortage of nursing. … You're likely to find a good position after graduation.”

The same likelihood may be behind the 9.6 percent enrollment increase at the NU College of Law.

At the University of Nebraska at Omaha, an analysis of program enrollment is under way, but the College of Public Affairs and Community Service and the College of Education continue to attract large numbers of students.

John Christensen, UNO chancellor, said increasing graduation rates make growing enrollment even sweeter.

While enrollment at UNO is 45 students higher than last year, 2,700 degrees were awarded in 2009-10.

Enrollment, he said, “is only really meaningful when you compare it to our growth in graduation rate.”

It's the diploma that will make a difference in students' lives, Christensen said.

There are fewer part-time graduate students but more full-time graduate students. And the number of students enrolling in their first years out of high school continues to grow.

Indications are, Christensen said, that economic uncertainty isn't pushing students out of college.

“At the beginning of this economic downturn, I was nervous. So many of our students are at the financial margins,” he said. “I feel some relief that they're hanging on to this point. I'm very appreciative of the scholarship support we receive from people in our community.”

The NU system includes UNO,UNMC, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska at Kearney and the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.

Enrollment figures were based on a student census taken on the sixth day of classes.

Correction: In an earlier version of this story, the number of new University of Nebraska Medical Center undergraduates was incorrect.

Contact the writer:

444-1037, michaela.saunders@owh.com

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