Largest freshman class enrolls this year

This year’s freshman class at Portland State carries the highest number of enrollments in university history, marking the twelfth consecutive year showing increased enrollment in freshman on-campus.

Last year, PSU’s first-time freshman class comprised 1,462 students enrolled as of the fourth week of term in 2006, with 1,180 full-time students and 282 part-time students.

This year, there are a projected 1,655 first-time freshman, marking an 11.7 percent increase, according to Cathy Ketcheson, director of the Office of Institutional Research and Planning (OIRP).

Historically, around 35 percent of freshman at PSU graduate from the university, according to OIRP data. The rate of new students that graduate is actually much higher for the overall student population, Ketcheson said. Confirmed figures of students will be released after the fourth week of class this term, she said.

“There is no direct line connecting first-time freshmen to eventual graduates,” Ketcheson said. “That rate is for a very small contingent of our students.” Ketcheson also said transfer students often show a higher percentage of graduation from the university.

Hannah Fisher, board member for the Student Alumni Relations Group (SARG), said that the group is determined to increase the number of freshmen retained from this year’s class. SARG has gotten involved with Viking football pre-game barbeques, said Fisher, and members of the group volunteered to help freshmen during September’s move-in week, for example.

“What we’re really focused on is providing freshmen with a sense of community, to help them feel like a part of the university,” Fisher said. “We don’t want freshman to feel like they’re left out, since that would lead to more student leaving the university before graduation.”

SARG is considering a mentor program in which graduates would show freshmen the benefits of a PSU degree. The group is also creating a survey for new students, giving them a chance to voice their overall on-campus and community experiences at PSU, Fisher said.

Bill Ryder, interim director of new student programs, said that the admissions staff is to thank for the recruitment and increase in first-time freshmen. PSU has focused more on orientation events, leading to higher turnout and more students who decide to stay at PSU after attending such an event, he said.

“The admissions team does a lot of in-state and statewide recruitment, and I think they deserve a lot of credit,” Ryder said. “Hopefully, they continue to bring in more students during over the coming years.”