January 6, 2009

BYU-Idaho Announces Enrollment Expansion Plan

 

In an effort to fulfill Brigham Young University–Idaho’s mission to “Serve More Students,” the university is implementing a plan that will increase the full-time student equivalency (FTE)* enrollment cap from 11,600 to 12,500 per semester. This change will take place in Fall 2010 and is the initial step in a phased approach that could bump FTE enrollment to 15,000 by 2015.

“The Board of Trustees has invested a great deal in BYU–Idaho; and with all the renovation and new construction, we have virtually created a new campus since our change to a four-year institution,” said university President Kim B. Clark. “This increase in student enrollment is just one of many ways we are striving to utilize this wonderful campus and offer a powerful learning experience to more students.”

Under the phased expansion plan, student FTE will increase to 12,500 in 2010 with an estimated head count between 14,000-14,200. The Board of Trustees must approve further increases in enrollment (potentially up to 15,000 FTE by 2015), which are conditional upon meeting specific milestones for cost per student, space utilization and academic performance.

“We believe we can accomplish our objectives by utilizing innovations in online education as well as innovative scheduling and calendaring, all of which will allow us to bless more students’ lives without increasing our total operating cost per student,” President Clark said.

President Clark’s comments echo those of Gordon B. Hinckley, former president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, when he announced that Ricks College would become BYU–Idaho on June 21, 2000. “BYU–Idaho will operate on an expanded year-round basis, incorporating innovative calendaring and scheduling while also taking advantage of advancements in technology, which will enable the four-year institution to serve more students.”

BYU–Idaho has made several strides to serve more students since 2000 when enrollment was 8,500. Among those was the creation of the Summer Semester (now Spring semester) in 2006 when Board approval was given to expand enrollment up to 11,600 in every semester, not just Fall and Winter.

Another way the university is serving more students is through its Online Learning program, which was launched last year in conjunction with the new Bachelor of University Studies degree. By 2012, the administration hopes to have 140 new online classes established. These courses will be available to students both on- or off-track or pursuing an online degree.

Increasing student enrollment also brings up concerns such as parking availability, city traffic issues and student housing needs. President Clark said that the university will be proactive in addressing each issue as needed.

Some additional full-time faculty and staff will also be needed to accommodate the overall student influx, but the university expects that those hires will be modest in number.

BYU–Idaho has undergone significant growth in the past eight years, making it poised to effectively handle the proposed enrollment increases by utilizing current buildings and classrooms. Among the list of projects has been the addition of several new buildings and extensive renovations to almost every building on-campus. Current major projects underway include the construction of a 15,000-seat auditorium and a significant expansion/remodel of the Hyrum Manwaring Student Center, both to be completed in 2010.

*FTE is calculated by taking the total number of credits for all students and dividing it by 15.