Total enrollment in spring 2009 increased slightly for Hispanic, African American and foreign students compared to the 2008 spring semester at The University of Texas at Austin, a preliminary report shows.
Kristi D. Fisher, associate vice provost and director of the university’s Office of Information Management and Analysis, said the data are preliminary 12th class day numbers. The report shows total enrollment for the spring 2009 semester is 47,334, a decrease of 234 students (-0.5 percent) from spring 2008. Fisher said the decrease is primarily due to fewer continuing students at the undergraduate level.
The number of Hispanic students for spring 2009 is 7,484, a 1.5 percent increase over spring 2008. African American student enrollment for spring 2009 is 2,093 (up 4.2 percent) and the foreign student total is 348 (up 1.5 percent). Enrollment decreased for white students to 25,757 (a 1.9 percent decrease), for American Indian students to 197 (a 4.8 percent decrease) and for Asian American students to 7,199 remained about the same, with only two fewer students than in spring 2008.
Fisher said proportional representation on campus for the spring 2009 semester, based on the preliminary figures, includes: white students, 54.4 percent compared to 55.2 percent in spring 2008; American Indian students, 0.4 percent unchanged; African American students, 4.4 percent compared to 4.2 percent last year; Asian American students, 15.2 percent compared to 15.1 percent; Hispanic students, 15.8 percent compared to 15.5 percent; and foreign students, 9.0 percent compared to 8.8 percent. Students whose ethnicity was not known remained unchanged at 0.7 percent.
The preliminary report also shows an increase in the proportion of female students on campus. Preliminary figures show that of the 47,334 students this spring, 51.1 percent are female (up 0.2 percent) and 48.9 percent are male (down 0.2 percent). The figures do not reflect a pattern since the proportion of male students had increased in spring 2008 compared to spring 2007 while the proportion of females had decreased.
The proportion of students from Texas remained relatively stable at 80.8 percent in spring 2009 compared to 81.0 percent in spring 2008. Out-of-state students remained stable at 10.2 percent.
New undergraduate enrollment is up by 41 students (4.9 percent) from spring 2008 totals, primarily due to an 11.5 percent increase in transfer enrollment. Fisher said there was a decrease of 41 students (-34.7 percent) in first-time freshman enrollment. She said the number of undergraduate continuing students decreased by 215 (-0.6 percent) and re-entering students decreased by 9 students (-1.1 percent).
Graduate enrollment (including special professional) decreased by 51 students (-0.4 percent) and new graduate student enrollment increased by 16 students (7.3 percent, excluding special professional). There was a 14-student (-0.1 percent) decrease in continuing graduate students (excluding special professional) and a 10-student (9.9 percent) increase in re-entering students (excluding special professional).
