With the Fall 2024 semester rolling, a sepcifically large influx of incoming freshmen arrive on campus at Colorado Mesa University (CMU). Compared to previous years’ freshman class sizes, this year will see over 30% growth in population.
“I’m anticipating it will be the largest freshman class we’ve ever had,” said President John Marshall. “I think it’s going to bring a lot more fun. A lot of energy.”
With the increase in enrollment, CMU staff has been working hard to tend to necessary accommodations: about 18 new faculty members have been hired to ensure there are enough courses available to students.
“Pertaining to housing,” President Marshall explained, “we’ve just barely made it below the water.”
A few students are being housed in hotels during move-in until more on-campus dorms became available. One week before classes started, about nine of those students were left waiting for availability.
“We will have a bed for every single incoming freshman,” Marshall said.
According to the Student Life Director Trey Downey, another component to adjust has been transportation. This year, the student-run service known as MAVrides, which provides free rides to all CMU students, is set to have its hours expanded, running all day Monday through Friday.
Aside from being a bit more crowded, CMU will see some exciting new changes with these larger numbers, including extra funding for Student Life events and more opportunities for involvement on campus.
“When we have more students, that makes it easier to have more diverse events,” said Downey.
The Student Life Organization hopes to see clubs on campus build their numbers this year, bringing an increase in student engagement.
Downey also explained that Student Life is going to be bringing in student engagement specialists in the hopes of gaining resources to analyze data on what groups of students are most engaged in campus life. The goal of this is to ensure that enough opportunities are extended to each and every student to get involved on campus, and to reach out to those who may not have been previously given the resources to do so.
How will such a significantly large increase in enrollment influence the overall direction of Student Life and the future of CMU?
“Ideally we’ll be prepared for this year so that this influx is not just a one-off, but the norm,” said Downey. He further explained that more students equals less student fees. If the university continues to see higher rates of enrollment over the next few years, any increase in student fees may be delayed or even decreased.
So, what caused this year’s influx in student enrollment?
“There’s never a silver bullet,” said President Marshall.
One factor may have been last year’s launch of the CMU Promise. Starting this year, 100% of tuition expenses are covered for students from households earning $65,000 or less. This promise was made possible through institutional funds, federal grants, state funding and other financial resources. Its goal has been to ensure that higher education is more affordable and accessible in western Colorado.
Another possible set of factors which may have contributed to the increase in enrollment were CMU’s endeavors to increase community outreach over the past year.
“We went out on the road into these small high schools,” President Marshall explained. “I think that really made a difference.”
Marshall and other campus leaders traveled as far as the suburbs of Denver to offer various resources and information on attending CMU. Those efforts to extend outreach beyond just the Western Slope might have opened doors that led to such a heightened enrollment rate for the year.
Whatever new challenges the upcoming year may hold for our growing student body, CMU welcomes this opportunity to continue assembling a stronger campus community. Here’s to another new year of exploring new and innovative ways to carve out the potential within each and every student, both as individuals and as a Mavily.
