MSU-Northern sees rise in enrollment

Montana State University-Northern is experiencing its second consecutive year in which enrollment rates have risen.

MSU-N’s enrollment is up 4 percent with 1,334 students compared to last year’s 1282, according to a press release from the university. The school is also up 2.1 percent in full-time equivalent, FTE, students.

“I am very privileged to have a dedicated group of faculty and staff who have worked very hard to make this enrollment increase a reality. I am pleased we have achieved our enrollment goal for this year, and my overarching goal is for that trend to continue,” Chancellor James Limbaugh said in the press release.

There are 49 students attending MSU-N who graduated from Havre High School last year. This number is 42 percent of last year’s graduating class, which was 111 students large.

According to Jim Potter, director of University Relations, the enrollment is calculated by “taking a look at the number of students enrolled on the 15th day of each semester. The FTE is another way to report enrollment. It is calculated by taking the total number of credits being taken by all registered students and dividing that number by 15. It provides a numbers that reflects what enrollment would be like if everyone was taking a full-time 15 credit load.”

“Not only are our numbers up this year, our incoming class is full of bright, talented students who continue to build a supportive and fun Northern community,” said Kristi Shettel, MSU-N’s director of Admissions and Recruiting, in the press release.

“Last spring’s program review provides a road map for 2014-2015 recruitment. We can now focus on the programs we want to grow and plan our recruitment efforts accordingly. Our plan is to refine our outreach to potential students outside of Montana and to double our efforts in promoting awareness of Northern’s exceptional academic programs to potential students within Montana,” Shettel added.