UC s Uptown Campus Braces For A Record Wave Of New Students

A record number of applicants and a record number of admissions offers are just two indicators of a banner year for enrollment at the University of Cincinnati’s Uptown Campus. By mid June, 4,100 first-year students had confirmed their spots in the entering class for UC’s Uptown Campus. That is a seven percent increase over June 15, 2004.

Caroline Miller, associate vice president of Enrollment Management, credits the surge to a campus that’s getting national attention for its transformations both in and out of the classroom, a stronger new marketing campaign, and the UC|21 strategic plan to guide the new urban university – making UC the premier place to live and learn.

Another goal of the UC|21 plan, recruiting out-of-state students, also is showing success. As of mid June, confirmations for the Uptown Campus were up 44 percent over the same period last year. However, Miller says most of the growth of the freshman class is coming from Greater Cincinnati, with 2,400 new students expected from the area, including 34 valedictorians and salutatorians. The class also has 20 National Merit Scholars and over 1,000 Cincinnatus Scholars.

Miller adds that there are indications that the freshman class will also be more diverse than years past, with significant increases in African American, Hispanic, Native American and international student confirmations.

Tom Canepa, assistant vice president of Admissions, advises other potential students that if they’ve applied to UC but haven’t confirmed that they’re coming, they should do that soon. Early Orientation is already filled, and while applications are still being accepted for many academic programs, Canepa says students interested in attending UC this fall should submit their application materials now.

Furthermore, the wave of new students is landing just as more returning students are asking for housing on campus. The number of new students registering for campus housing is up three percent compared to last year. At the same time, UC has received five percent more housing applications from returning students as of mid June.

Todd Duncan, director of Housing and Food Services, adds that the increased demand, along with the shutdown of the 508-bed Sawyer Hall for renovations, has created an on-campus housing shortage.  Offsetting the Sawyer shutdown, a 224-bed residence hall in UC’s new Campus Recreation Center will open this fall for upperclassmen, Duncan said.

Duncan says first-time students who want the experience of campus living and who are not required to live on campus (because their homes are located within 50 miles of the university) are being directed to off-campus, university-affiliated housing in nearby University Park and Stratford Heights immediately adjacent to campus. These facilities significantly expand the residential options for UC students and are part of a long-term strategy to diversify housing options in Uptown.

Approximately 200 new students have signed lease agreements between the two new facilities. Both facilities report they are planning programming for first-year students as part of their residential component. The University Park and Stratford Heights housing developments can accommodate roughly 1,500 people altogether. As for new students coming to UC from out of town, Duncan adds that the remaining openings in campus housing will be reserved for students outside a 50-mile radius from campus.

Enrollment Trends: First-Time Freshmen 
    
Confirmations ( as of  June 15 of each year)
2002 Autumn   2003 Autumn  2004 Autumn  2005 Autumn
3406                   3780                 3825                  4100

Orientation Reservations
2004 Autumn   2005 Autumn
2119                  2349  (Up 11 percent)

Diversity Indicators (Reported June 1)

• African American: Up 16 percent
• Hispanic: Up 10 percent
• Native American: Up nine percent
• Caucasian: Up eight percent