Kansas University students navigate their way to afternoon classes along Jayhawk Boulevard. Enrollment numbers at KU's Lawrence campus dropped slightly this year, but KU Medical Center and the Edwards Campus enrollments have increased. Overall, 29,260 students are enrolled, a drop of 353 from last year.
Enrollment at Kansas University declined this year, driven by a larger-than-usual number of dismissals from the university's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Overall university enrollment stands at 29,260, down just 353 in large part because of growth at the Kansas University Medical Center and on the Edwards Campus.
"We pretty much consider (enrollment) stable," KU spokeswoman Jill Jess said Thursday when the numbers were released. "It's such a small decline. We're pleased with the stability."
About 880 students were dismissed from the college for failing to maintain an adequate grade point average. In years past, about 530 students had been dismissed.
Chancellor Robert Hemenway has said previously that the more stringent enforcement of academic standards helps the university by freeing up class spots for those who can succeed, and it helps the students by preventing them from spending their time and money when they're not making progress toward graduation.
The combined Lawrence and Edwards Campus enrollment was 26,342, a decline of 431, though in a press release Edwards Campus leaders said their enrollment was up 12 percent. The university counts the two campuses together for statistical purposes.
KUMC added 78 students for a total of 2,918 enrolled.
"We're proud of those campuses," Jess said. "It's very good news for them. A strong student body and enrollment at both of those campuses reflects well on the university as a whole."
In contrast to the lower numbers overall, KU did attract more minority students. About 3,650 students identified themselves as Asian, black, Hispanic or American Indian. Another 1,754 people were enrolled as international students. In all, minority enrollment was up 1 percent.
Across the regents system, the six universities set a record for enrollment and crossed the 90,000 student threshold for the first time. In all, 90,063 students were enrolled in regents institutions, an increase of 0.6 percent. Emporia State was the only other school to show a decline in enrollment.
Baker University also released its enrollment numbers Thursday.
According to the university, 3,959 students were enrolled across the Baker campuses, with 942 enrolled in Baldwin City. Another 2,862 students were enrolled in Baker's graduate school in Overland Park, and 155 students were enrolled in the School of Nursing at Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center in Topeka.
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