Jackson is optimistic that Southern will see an increase in the number of freshman students enrolling this coming fall. Total enrollment at Southern has fallen from 9,027 in fall 1999 to 8,575 in fall 2002.
"We've stepped up our recruitment and the students in the high schools know what we require. Enrollment has started to rise," he says, referring to spring 2003 enrollment figures.
Jackson believes Southern is better off in the long run as a school with selective admissions rather than as an open admissions institution. The school will be better positioned to develop new academic programs and attract high-quality faculty members, according to Jackson. He says that Southern will experience higher retention rates, citing the fall 2001 to fall 2002 freshman to sophomore retention rate was 72 percent. Freshman to sophomore retention from fall 2000 to fall 2001 was 64 percent, according to Jackson.
"Our graduation rates will go up," he predicts.
— By Ronald Roach
© Copyright 2005 by DiverseEducation.com
