For Release August 22
Regents Release Preliminary Enrollment Estimates For Fall 1996 Semester
PIERRE-South Dakota's public universities will likely be facing slightly lower enrollments this fall, according to preliminary estimates compiled by the Board of Regents. The estimate shows that overall, the university system may be facing a 3% dip in headcount enrollment, compared with a 5.1% overall decrease in Fall 1995.
"While any drop is not necessarily good news, the numbers are more encouraging than what we thought we might be looking at," said Regents Executive Director Robert T. Tad Perry. "It is important to remember that two years ago, our enrollments were at an all-time high, and you can't expect to climb forever. Our resident numbers appear to be healthy, and I think that South Dakotans still recognize their universities as a good deal for a quality education," he continued.
Perry also cautioned against reading too much into the estimates, which are preliminary. "Numbers are still changing from day to day on our campuses, so it is very difficult to pinpoint anything. The trend at this moment, however, shows that we will be down a little from where we were last year," Perry added.
Following are the most recent preliminary enrollment estimates for the state's public universities:
| Institution | Fall 1996 Prelim. Estimate | Fall 1995 Actual |
| Black Hills State University | 2,611 | 2,736 |
| Dakota State University | 1,300 | 1,354 |
| Northern State University | 2,633 | 2,683 |
| SD School of Mines/Tech. | 2,285 | 2,356 |
| South Dakota State Univ. | 8,640 | 8,840 |
| University of South Dakota | 7,072 | 7,329 |
| TOTAL | 24,541 | 25,298 |
Estimated difference between Fall 1995 and Fall 1996: 3.0%