AUSTIN, Texas—The proportional representation of African American and Hispanic students increased for the fall 2005 semester at The University of Texas at Austin.
Among the 6,938 entering freshmen, the proportional representation of students increased for African Americans to 5.1 percent (up from 4.5 percent last fall), Hispanics to 18 percent (16.9 percent last fall), and international to 3.4 percent (2.5 percent last fall). The proportional representation for whites decreased to 55.5 percent from 57.4 percent in fall 2004. The proportional representation for all other groups decreased or remained stable.
The number of entering freshmen students, by ethnicity, includes 3,854 white, 1,248 Hispanic, 1,193 Asian American, 353 African American, 34 Native American and 256 others. Entering freshmen include those students who first enrolled in the summer and are continuing in the fall, as well as new fall entrants.
University-wide, the proportional representation increased for African Americans to 3.7 percent (from 3.5 percent in fall 2004) and Hispanics to 14.1 percent (13.4 percent). The proportional representation for whites decreased to 57.4 percent from 58.6 percent in fall 2004. All other groups remained stable or declined slightly.
The preliminary figures show enrollment at The University of Texas at Austin dropped 1.2 percent, from 50,377 to 49,791 this fall. Because of the drop, The University of Texas at Austin may drop to fourth place in size for four-year institutions. Institutions with larger enrollments include Ohio State University, the University of Minnesota and Arizona State University. Last fall the university was third behind Ohio State and Minnesota.
The decreased enrollment was intentional, part of a plan proposed by a special Task Force on Enrollment Strategy that included increasing the size of the faculty and reducing the student population to 48,000 over the next five years. A related goal of the task force was to reduce the student/faculty ratio, which is now about 21 to one. It is expected the student/faculty ratio for fall 2005 will be below 21 to one.
The total enrollment figure of 49,791 includes 458 students who were displaced because of Hurricane Katrina. Of the 458 displaced students, 316 were undergraduate, 64 were graduate and 78 were law students. The majority of the undergraduate students are registered as Liberal Arts majors.
This fall’s enrollment includes 36,959 undergraduate, 11,406 graduate and 1,426 law students. The number of entering freshmen is 6,938, an increase from 6,795 last year. Undergraduate transfers have increased from 1,981 to 2,137. The number of undergraduate continuing students decreased from 27,802 in fall 2004 to 27,083 this fall. The fewer number translates into increased four- and six-year graduation rates. Four-year graduation rates increased from 45.6 percent to 46.9 percent, while six-year graduation rates increased from 74.3 percent to 75.1 percent.
Maryann Ruddock, associate vice provost and director of institutional research, said these data are preliminary 12th class day numbers. Final figures for the 12th class day will be available in October and may differ slightly because of difficulties in tracking the hurricane-displaced students. All figures include the hurricane-displaced students.
In the entering freshman class from Texas high schools, 69 percent were admitted under HB 588, better known as the Top 10 Percent Law, up from last year’s figure of 66 percent.
New graduate student enrollment increased slightly this fall to 3,217, an increase of 1.4 percent. For new graduate students, the proportional representation increased for African Americans to 2.9 percent (up from 2.6 percent), Asian Americans to 8.1 percent (7.8 percent), and Hispanics to 7.8 percent (7.6 percent). This fall’s entering law class enrolled more students in all ethnic groups.
The numbers for graduate students include 6,109 white, 865 Hispanic, 284 African American, 768 Asian American, 46 Native American and 3,334 others.
For more information contact: Don Hale, 512-471-3151, or Maryann Ruddock, 512-471-3833.
