UPEI Enrollment Higher than

Expected

Early and tentative figures on UPEI enrollment are much higher than the University had budgeted for. Figures presented on September 11th at the first University Senate meeting of 1992-93 by the Registrar, John deGrace, show enrollment to be higher than both at this time last year and the estimate around which the university had constructed this year’s budget.

The total number of full-time students registered as of September was listed as 2834 students, as opposed to the 2500 used as a base figure by the Board of Governors when drafting the 1992-93 Budget. This figure includes 200 veterinary students, 35 Master of Science students, and 36 nursing students who are the first students to enter UPEI’s new BSc. in Nursing Program.

A further breakdown of the figures (for full-time students) include:

Faculty: Sept 1192 Sept. 11 91 Arts 1203 1146 Education 205 237 Science 629 584 Business 516 507 Nursing 36 --

Vet. Med. 200 200

MSc. 35 35 TOTAL: 2824 2709

These figures did not include some late registrations or people who preregistered but then decided not to attend UPEI. There is also no indication of how many students may drop out at various points over the academic year.

The estimate of 2500 that was used by the

Board of Governors was admitted at the time to be conservative, but it was felt that a decrease in enrollment-was likely. The only two groups on campus showing decreases during the first week of 1992-93 were part-time students, at 901 as opposed to 957 at this point last year, and Education students, at 205 this year and 237 last year.

Higher than expected enrollment, assuming that figures remain close to these levels, may create serious problems for an already financially strained university. UPEI’s operating grant from the Provincial Government has remained at almost the same level since 1990-91. In effect, this means that because of inflation - the university has been operating on less money every year.

Having more students attending than it had budgeted for is likely to put more pressure on the umiversity’s already stretched budget. While it is true that more students means more money coming in from tuition fees, they provide only a quarter or less of the university’s budget. Because the operating grant from the Provincial Government is not directly tied to the number of students attending, the university is left with less money per student.

The fact that significantly more people are finding it necessary to obtain a university education should give those who feel that more government funding should not be made available to UPEI cause to think.