Enrollment is up 5.7 percent this fall, stepping up to 6,664 and setting an all-time record, Jackie Clark, vice chancellor for Enrollment Management, told the Board of Trustees of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke on September 10.

Freshman enrollment is up 13.9 percent to 1,222, also a record, Clark reported. Transfer student enrollment also set a new record at 587. UNCP’s student body is drawn from 92 out of 100 North Carolina counties, 28 states and 20 foreign nations.

“We’re very, very pleased with this news,” Clark said. “I should note that student credit hours increased eight percent.”

UNCP’s annual budget is pegged to credit hours, and rising enrollment contributes to the budget also.

Out-of-state student enrollment increased to 371 from 323 in 2008, but international student enrollment declined slightly to 111 from 119.

Freshman average GPA dipped to 3.07 from 3.08 in 2008, and average SATs dropped slightly to 925 from 928.

“With a class this large, this small a decline is outstanding,” Clark said. “UNCP minimum requirements are a 2.2 GPA and 820 on the SAT.”

Retention rates were also featured in the fall report to trustees.

Freshman retention improved to 71 percent from 67.3 percent in 2008. UNC set a goal of 72 percent for next year.

Student housing is at 100 percent capacity with 1,725 students living on campus, said Dr. Diane Jones, vice chancellor for Student Affairs.  Four off-campus student apartment complexes report occupancy ranging from 88 – 100 percent.

Full-time faculty increased to 324 in 2009 from 312, while part-time faculty dropped to 70 from 112 in 2008. Staff employment increased to 518 compared with 509 in 2008.

Ten years ago, enrollment was 3,445 at UNCP with 579 freshmen.