Final fall enrollment tops 41,000

There are 41,050 students attending the university this fall, a 0.8 percent increase over fall 1999, when 40,740 students were enrolled.

The total includes 28,414 undergraduates, an increase of 144 over last year, and 8,615 graduate students, a decrease of five compared to last fall. The undergraduate total includes 5,736 new first-year students.

Among the university’s professional schools, there are 2,365 students this fall: 881 in the Law School, 693 in the Medical School, 475 in the School of Pharmacy, and 316 in the School of Veterinary Medicine. There were 2,146 professional students in fall 1999.

There are 362 targeted new first-year undergraduate students of color this fall, down two from last year. The total includes 127 African Americans (down by nine), 29 American Indians/Alaskan Native Americans (down by six), 79 Southeast Asian Americans (up by 34) and 127 Latinos/Chicanos (down by 21).

The total number of targeted and non-targeted students of color enrolled this fall is 3,687, down by 162 students compared to last fall. There are 865 African Americans, (587 undergrads); 1,644 Asian Americans (1,180 undergrads); 975 Latinos/Chicanos (633 undergrads); and 203 American Indians (133 undergrads).

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Paul W. Barrows says he is optimistic that the PEOPLE program will help boost the enrollment of students of color. PEOPLE, which stands for Pre-College Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence, provides on-campus learning opportunities for minority and disadvantaged high school students from Milwaukee and Racine, and middle school students from Madison. PEOPLE students who successfully complete the program are eligible for full tuition scholarships at UW–Madison.

“We must continue to refocus our efforts to improve the enrollment at UW–Madison of students of color,” Barrows says.

International students total 3,508, an increase of three over last fall’s 3,505.

The number of female students on campus increased this fall by 286 to 21,377 or 52.1 percent of the total student population. Male students increased by 24 to this fall’s total of 19,673 or 47.9 percent.

This fall’s enrollment is the first time the campus has topped 41,000 students since fall 1992, when 41,948 students were enrolled. Larger enrollments reflects direction by the Legislature to increase access to the UW System.