Students have mixed opinions on soaring enrollment at MU

by Matt Eisenbath, posted Sept. 15, 2011

Right now, the University of Missouri knows only one direction: up. The enrollment at Mizzou has hit record highs for the past two years. More students are applying, more are getting accepted and the increase is becoming noticeable.

According to the MU News Bureau, enrollment has reached 33,318 total students. This number is opposed to 32,009 last year and 31,314 in 2009. MU student, Britt Kagay, has noticed the rise in population.

“I think it’s obvious when you look at the traffic and just the overall amount of people, there are definitely more students and just people in Columbia than ever before,” Kagay said. 

Many people have become frustrated with the University, with the argument that the school should not have accepted so many students if they do not have the capacity. This dispute comes from the thought that there are more freshmen accepted than the University has room for in the residence halls.  Cecilia Leslie, head of student recruitment for MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, believes this information is inaccurate.

“I think when you look at the housing area, they virtually promised every freshman a spot, but some got antsy and found another place anyway,” Leslie said.  

Also contrary to some thoughts, Leslie thinks that Mizzou is pleased with the school's current condition and actually looking for more growth. Leslie believes that students and alumni of Mizzou should feel proud when looking at the current enrollment of Mizzou.

“Students should be proud that when someone mentions MU, people have an increasingly positive outlook,” Leslie said.

She also believes that the University has done a great job stepping up and controlling the traffic. When it comes to the housing issue, Leslie feels like the Greek system has helped in that department. 

“Definitely there are more students overall, and Greek,” Jared Henderson, president of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, said. “Our fraternity has had our largest freshmen classes in our history the last two years.”

According to Leslie, the rising enrollment can be attributed to more widespread recruitment and an overall better performance in the major sports, basketball and football. She mentioned the great publicity for Mizzou when the school was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine in 2007. In addition, Mizzou has effectively increased recruitment in other cities, such as Dallas and Chicago.

“I think that anything that makes us a healthier and more widely recognized University in the long run shouldn’t make us too upset,” Kagay said. “I think it’s great for the school and Columbia.”

Leslie believes that the increased enrollment has had more of a positive effect on Mizzou students and faculty, rather than a negative effect. She is certain that the enrollment total is not expected to decrease in the near future.

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