New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities committed to college opportunity for new jersey citizens

150 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey 08608                       609-989-1100     609-989-7017 fax                   njascu@njascu.org

Press Release
October 4, 2007

95,000 Students at State Colleges and Universities Reflects a Decade of Growth

Paul R. Shelly, Director of Communications & Marketing, ASCU

The nine state colleges and universities now educate 95,000 students, the largest number ever, according to an early fall estimate by the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities (ASCU).

The schools now enroll about 82,000 undergraduates and 13,000 graduate students, roughly 15% ahead of the total ten years ago.  At the typical institution, well over 90% of undergraduate students are New Jersey residents.

During the 1997-2007 decade, full-time undergraduate enrollment increased about 25%.  Some institutions have struggled to meet residence hall demand.  This fall, about 19,000 students are housed by colleges and universities -- with some in temporary quarters -- compared to about 14,000 in Fall 1997.  By next year, ASCU predicts that total will reach well over 20,000, with new housing being constructed at the campuses including: The College of New Jersey, Kean University and Richard Stockton College.

Record number of applications.  ASCU's eight traditional member-institutions receive a total of over 50,000 applications, the largest number ever, from an estimated 22,000 to 25,000 individuals.  By ASCU's reckoning, there is a total of about 11,000 full-time slots in the freshman classes, meaning many qualified students are not accepted.  Meanwhile, ASCU's non-traditional member-institution, Thomas Edison State College, has seen its enrollment increase dramatically, from less than 13,000 last fall to about 16,000 currently.

One index of demand is the choice students make about the institutions to which their SAT score results are automatically sent.  This year, eleven New Jersey public and private institutions were among the top 16 score receivers according to The College Board's recent state statistical report for New Jersey.  Of the eleven, most were ASCU-member institutions.

Says ASCU Executive Director/CEO Dr. Darryl G. Greer, even though New Jersey continues to export too many talented students to out-of-state universities and colleges, "tens of thousands of students find what they want right here: ready access to high-value higher education that is critical to future life success in the Garden State."

Transfer student enrollment has remained strong and two institutions, Rowan and New Jersey City University, reported sizeable increases.

This growth was predicted.  Employing national data, about ten years ago ASCU forecast a surge in demand that the state was unprepared to meet.  "Our members have stretched to meet demand to the extent their limited resources allow," says ASCU Executive Director/CEO Dr. Darryl G. Greer.

While the number of New Jersey high school graduates is expected to plateau around 2009, Greer maintains that demand will continue to remain steady or increase at some institutions, based on the colleges' growing reputation for quality and value.  The nine institutions, overall, have very high graduation rates per full-time enrolled student compared to their peer groups in other states, according to the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) in Boulder, Colorado.

New demand and the desire to maintain small class size has also required increased investment in full-time faculty.  In fall 1997, the institutions had fewer than 2,400 full-time faculty.  Now there are an estimated 3,000.

Modest tuition increases.  Direct state investment in the nine state colleges and universities increased modestly this year, but over the past decade has not kept pace with college operating costs.  Increases have had to assume the burden of costs for academic facilities improvement - also not funded by the state.

The average full-time undergraduate student will se a bill for about $9,500 for tuition and fees, reflecting the shrinking state share of educational costs.  For lower income students this will be offset by various kinds of federal and state financial aid.  "Costs to our students would be even higher if these were not among the most productive institutions of their kind in the nation," Greer added, pointing to studies by NCHEMS.

Early Fall 2007 Estimate for the Nine State Colleges and Universities (to nearest 100)