UCI enrollment makes historic gains
Deirdre Newman
The university’s increasing popularity has led to the largest
enrollment increase in its history.
UC Irvine officials attribute this fall’s 8.7% increase -- about
1,900 students -- to a top-down effect, starting with an increase in
graduate students -- up 11.7% over the previous year.
“I think it’s success building on success,” said Manuel Gomez,
vice chancellor of undergraduate affairs. “We have outstanding
faculty recruits that have established now-nationally recognized
academic programs, which have recruited a lot of graduate students,
and that in turn leads to the campus being a first choice for
everyone.”
William Parker, dean of graduate studies, attributes graduate
enrollment increases to an aggressive recruiting program by various
academic units, increased financial support for students and new and
expanded programs such as biomedical, electrical and computer
engineering. The sputtering economy also spurred more people to
consider graduate school because of the lack of jobs, Parker said.
The Graduate School of Management was one of the only divisions
that did not experience any increase in enrollment, Parker added.
Undergraduate enrollment actually saw a higher jump last year --
9.1%, compared to an 8.6% increase this fall. But the number of
transfers remains high -- an 8% increase from surrounding community
colleges, Gomez said
“In a sense, UCI is blessed because we’re surrounded by some
really strong community colleges that have a vigorous transfer
focus,” Gomez said.
Gomez said the campus is building as fast as it can to keep up
with the feverish pace of student enrollment, now just shy of 24,000.
“We want to continue growing as long as we’re able to sustain and
enhance the overall quality of educational experience,” Gomez said.
“We won’t jeopardize that.”
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