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WKU Working Toward Enrollment Rebound

WKU

WKU’s fall semester is still about five weeks away, but enrollment numbers are on pace to increase over last year.  The WKU Board of Regents was told Friday that a 100 to 250 increase in students is expected, reversing last fall’s decline. 

"The full-time students in Kentucky are going up, the out-of-state students are increasing, the international students across the globe are looking strong, so I think it's in a healthy place," said Dr. Brian Meredith, WKU's Chief Enrollment and Graduation Officer.

A drop in tuition revenue in the fall 2013 and spring 2014 semesters contributed to a $3.1 million revenue shortfall.  The university is making up for the loss, partly, by privatizing health services on campus.At the same time, WKU has launched an aggressive effort to attract more transfer students.  Transfer advisors from WKU are visiting the university's partner schools.

"They used to be there monthly and now they're there a couple times a month doing academic advising, financial aid counseling, career counseling," added Meredith.  "Whatever those schools tell us they need, we're sending out WKU representatives to work through that with them."

Also this fall, WKU will open a new Transfer Center on campus that will be a one-stop shop for students to meet with advisors and be admitted and registered for classes in one day, in most cases. 

Transfer scholarships are also available to students who meet certain requirements. 

WKU has Joint Admissions Agreements with eight schools in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.  The agreements are intended to give students a more seamless path to a four-year degree.  The university is preparing to add its 9th with Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana.

Lisa is a Scottsville native and WKU alum. She has worked in radio as a news reporter and anchor for 18 years. Prior to joining WKU Public Radio, she most recently worked at WHAS in Louisville and WLAC in Nashville. She has received numerous awards from the Associated Press, including Best Reporter in Kentucky. Many of her stories have been heard on NPR.