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.”