Despite increase in applications, fewer students accepted

In an attempt to avoid the strains of a large incoming class, the University admitted fewer students this year.

Of the 21,025 applications it received this year - up nearly 10 percent from last year - the University accepted 12,351 students, according to records as of June 15. Last year, the University received 18,784 applications and admitted 12,826 students.

University officials speculate that a number of factors, including the Michigan football team's Rose Bowl victory and national championship, may have contributed to the increase in applications.

But Provost Nancy Cantor said the University's approach to the diversity debate, especially in lieu of the two lawsuits filed against the University challenging its use of race in the admission process, may also have attracted applicants.

"People in the community have been attracted by our stance on diversity," Cantor said.

The University's emphasis in the past several years on enhancing undergraduate education, including the expansion of more intimate class settings, also may be luring students to the University.

"That's the kind of thing high school counselors hear about and starts getting back to neighborhoods and schools," Cantor said.

University spokesperson Julie Peterson said the decision to admit fewer students this fall was based on last year's large incoming class.

Last fall "more students took us up on our offer than we expected," Peterson said.

Peterson said the large class caused pressures on housing, courses and a variety of student services for last fall's first-year students.

"We guarantee all incoming freshmen students the right to housing," Peterson said. "Last fall, we had students living in lounges. It was a challenge."

Alan Levy, director of Housing Public Affairs, said in July the housing office was still receiving applications for residence halls.

"There were concerns about available first-year classes and overcrowding," Levy said.

Last fall, many students were forced to live in lounges during the first week of class and in overflow triples. Levy said over the past few years the University has stretched the capabilities of its housing.

"We anticipate no temporary housing at all and a very limited use of overflow triples," Levy said. "Both University Housing and the larger University recognized this couldn't and shouldn't occur."

Levy added the restrictions placed on returning students wanting to live in residence halls along with the smaller incoming class will ensure more space than in previous years.

Levy said overflow triples have been used for the past eight years and was always done "out of necessity."

"It was a way of handing an ever larger freshman class," Levy said. "It was the largest freshman class, there had never been a freshman class that large."

In response to challenges arising from last fall's student body, the University thought they needed to adjust the size of the class, Peterson said.

"Given what happened last year, it was appropriate to downsize," Peterson said.

As space permits, the number of students accepted from the waitlist to the University will vary.

"Only a few students were admitted from the waitlist," Peterson said. "After mid-May we begin to project our enrollment with certainty."

As of June 15, 56 percent of students admitted paid their deposits. In 1997, 55 percent had paid their deposit. Peterson said the makeup of minority students for this fall's student body has not changed significantly.

"The makeup of the student body very similar to last year's," Peterson said.

Peterson said the University's goal for the incoming class is to be 5,200, adding that the numbers could change.

LSA senior Nicole Rose said she had been worried about her younger sister's housing arrangement.

"I just did not want my sister to have to worry about where she was going to live," Rose said.

- Daily Staff Reporter Katie Plona contributed to this report.

09-08-98