Una Fall Enrollment Hitting Record Levels
Sep. 08, 2016
Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@una.edu, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033
Bryan Rachal, University Communications
FLORENCE, Ala. - For the second year in a row, the University of North Alabama is looking at another possible enrollment record. Early numbers related to new first-time freshmen and graduate students enrolling at the University of North Alabama are showing a substantial increase over 2015; and total student headcount has surged to historic levels, according to fall 2016 enrollment numbers.
As of the third week of classes, some 7,517 students were enrolled at UNA, compared to 7,078 in fall 2015. The all-time enrollment record was 7,323 in 2007. The University of North Alabama has also seen an increase in on campus living, with more than 1,400 students residing in residence halls, compared to 1,330 last year.
"We are pleased with our recruitment efforts this year, which resulted in an increase in undergraduate and graduate enrollment over last year," said Ron Patterson, associate vice president for Enrollment Management.
"The increase in undergraduate enrollment is attributed to increased visits in high schools, strengthening partnerships with community college relationships, and expanding regional recruitment and outreach," he said.
Patterson said new regional recruitment efforts also played a part in the increase. UNA recently hired a full-time regional recruiter, who is stationed in the Madison/Huntsville area, which Patterson said will improve service to those markets.
"We are thrilled with these preliminary enrollment figures," said Dr. Ken Kitts, UNA president. "Faculty, staff and the entire university family have really come together over the last year to help us tell our story, and we believe that excitement is making a difference in enrollment. The best is yet to come."
In addition to the personnel changes, UNA has implemented a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software program that allows students to track their status throughout the application and enrollment processes.
"We're putting processes in place that we hope will make the enrollment process easier," Patterson said. "Thankfully, we're already seeing the benefits of these changes and we hope and expect the University of North Alabama will continue with this great momentum in our student recruitment efforts."
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA
The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs through the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Human Sciences, and Nursing. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Tuscumbia, Sheffield and Muscle Shoals. UNA also operates a renowned collegiate athletic program in NCAA Division II's Gulf South Conference. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age or national origin.