The Arkansas Department of Higher Education released the preliminary headcount and full-time equivalent enrollment at public and independent Arkansas colleges and universities for the fall 2007 semester with another record-setting headcount enrollment of nearly 150,000 students. Full-time equivalent enrollment at the public higher education institutions is also an all-time high with just over 100,000 students.  

   “We can see from these numbers that the message from Governor Beebe that education and economic development are inextricably tied together is getting through,” said Steve Floyd, interim director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. “Economic development begins with the individual. When the individual receives the economic dividends that come from higher education, the family benefits, the state benefits and the overall economy benefits.”  

   Non-credit students are not counted in the following preliminary headcount enrollment summary for fall 2007:  

   Total Statewide Opening Fall Preliminary Enrollment of On-Schedule, For-Credit Students: Total preliminary headcount enrollment in public and independent higher education institutions is the highest ever at 149,982 students, which is 3.1 percent higher than 2006 and 12.7 percent higher than 2003. Since 1990, enrollment increased by more than 64,000 students, an increase of 74.6 percent.  

   Public Colleges and Universities: Total preliminary headcount enrollment at the public institutions is an all-time high at 135,453, which is three percent more than 2006. Since 2003, enrollment increased 12.9 percent.  

   Public Two-Year Colleges: Eighteen of the 22 public two-year colleges experienced enrollment increases. Headcount enrollment at the colleges also set a record with 51,028 students, which is a one-year increase of four percent. Since 2003, enrollment in this sector has increased 15.2 percent.  

   Four colleges experienced one-year enrollment increases greater than 10 percent: Northwest Arkansas Community College, Ozarka College, University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville and University of Arkansas Community College at Hope. Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas, Rich Mountain Community College and South Arkansas Community College experienced one-year enrollment increases of over five percent.  

   Public Universities: Nine of the 11 public universities experienced enrollment increases. Again, headcount enrollment is higher than ever at 84,425, a one-year increase of 2.5 percent. Since 2003, enrollment in this sector has increased 11.6 percent. One university, Arkansas Tech University, experienced a one-year enrollment increase over five percent. The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences experienced enrollment increases of four percent or more.  

   Independent Colleges and Universities: Independent institutions also had a record-setting headcount enrollment of 14,529. This is 3.9 percent higher than 2006. Since 2003, enrollment in this sector has increased 10.5 percent. Arkansas Baptist College showed the highest gain in this sector, nearly doubling enrollment over last year with a 93.8 percent increase over the fall 2006 headcount.  

   Floyd added that while total fall headcount enrollment is an important measure of the effectiveness of higher education, it is just one of many measures that are tracked. For example, most Arkansas institutions of higher education offer a wide range of for-credit workforce education operating on a different schedule than the traditional fall semester; this headcount is not included in traditional fall headcount enrollment statistics.  

   Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Enrollment: FTE enrollment measures the total number of credit hours in which full- and part-time students enroll. Statewide FTE enrollment at public colleges and universities is also at an all-time high with 100,007 students.  

   Preliminary headcount and FTE enrollment spreadsheets for fall 2007 are attached. For more information about the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, visit www.arkansashighered.com or call 501-371-2000.

   View the Total Student Headcount by Institution, courtesy of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.