WSU Vancouver fall enrollment breaks record

If Washington State University Vancouver feels a bit more crowded than normal, that’s because it is.

WSU reported record enrollment systemwide last week, including at its Vancouver campus.

As students wrap up their first month back at school, WSU Vancouver announced on Friday that its fall enrollment is 3,426 students, up from fall 2015’s 3,305 students. Vancouver also added 333 new freshmen from last year, according to a news release. Systemwide, WSU saw record enrollment of 30,142 students.

Nancy Youlden, WSU Vancouver’s vice chancellor for student affairs and enrollment, credits the increased enrollment to the university’s marketing efforts. WSU Vancouver recently incorporated enrollment as part of its 2016-2021 strategic plan, and it is aiming for an overall enrollment of 5,000 students by the end of those five years. Youlden said the school has been working with a marketing firm that’s presented a “pretty crisp message” about the university to possible students.

“We’ve been very deliberate,” Youlden said. “I think our enrollment efforts, communication, marketing are getting more sophisticated. It feels like it is certainly paying off and aligns directly with the university’s strategic plan.”

WSU Vancouver’s budget is largely driven by tuition dollars, so enrollment increasing is always exciting news to the university. Resident tuition for students is $9,883 annually.

Additional dollars from additional students will allow the university to offer better programs and facilities, Youlden said.

“Any time we’re able to increase our overall operations budget, it allows us to do more,” she said. “Whether it’s existing academic programs or adding services that help support students. There’s just a number of different ways by having that additional capacity.”

Youlden also noted that WSUV added 624 new transfer students, increasing the size of its transfer class by 3.5 percent. In most cases, transfer students are graduating from Clark College and transferring to continue their bachelor’s degrees. Providing a resource to local students is one of the university’s primary goals, she said.

“Our goal from Day One has always been to serve this region,” she said. “That’s inherent in why we are here.”