Oct. 10, 2001

Contact: Mark Anderson (509-963-1493/fax 509-963-2301/e-mail andemark@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Central Washington University is reporting record enrollment for fall term, which began Sept. 26. The total number of students now studying at the university’s seven campuses is 7,980 FTE (full-time equivalent students), up from 7,625 FTE at the same time last year, for a 4.7 percent increase.

“This is an incredible achievement and a cause for celebration,” CWU President Jerilyn S. McIntyre says. “Faculty and staff helped in so many ways to recruit students for this fall. It’s a campus-wide accomplishment to which everyone contributed.”

Central’s FTE enrollment surpasses the previous high of 7,935 in 1996. The university’s freshman class is also the largest in school history and one of its most academically talented.

“Nobody in the state has experienced a larger percentage growth in their freshman class than we have,” Mike Reilly, CWU admissions director, says. “And, we are very clearly seeing an increase in high-achieving students. A larger percentage of our freshman class was above a 3.5 grade point average in high school than we’ve ever seen. This shows that high-quality students are choosing us.”

A total of 1,256 freshmen are now studying on the Ellensburg campus, up from 1,093 last year and bettering the previous record freshman enrollment of 1,133 in 1990.