SUU Enrollment Growth at 8.2%, Outpacing Other State Universities
Published: October 25, 2021 | Author: David Bishop | Read Time: 2 minutes
Southern Utah University’s student population now exceeds 13,000, a new record for the university. According to third-week enrollment data released by the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE), SUU grew at a faster rate than every other degree-granting public university in the state.
“These growth figures represent the hard work of a dedicated team at SUU. Faculty, staff, administration and students all have a hand in our strategic growth plan,” said SUU Interim President Mindy Benson. “This past year has been especially challenging because of the on-going impact of COVID and a housing shortage in Cedar City and throughout the state. To achieve this level of growth is really a testament to our university community.”
The bulk of SUU’s growth came from a 42% increase in the university’s online degree program. Online students now represent nearly 16% of SUU’s 13,611 students. The commitment to high quality, affordable online degrees gives students from across the world the opportunity to study at Southern Utah University.
In 2020, SUU launched the innovative Bachelor of General Studies online degree, which costs $9,000 from start to finish. The BGS degree removes a financial barrier that prohibited people from earning an undergraduate degree.
“Whether online or on-campus, we thank our students, who chose to attend Southern Utah University. They are the reason we continue to grow,” said Stuart Jones, SUU vice president for advancement and enrollment management. “Our enrollment team took it to the next level to help us achieve this success under the most challenging of circumstances.”
With COVID continuing to impact college enrollment across the country, SUU also faced a housing shortage in Cedar City. With the challenge, some students opted to move to online learning while the local community rallied to provide additional beds for students.
“I’m proud of our team of amazing staff and outstanding student leaders who went above and beyond to help as many students as possible return for another school year,” said Dr. Jared Tippets, SUU vice president for student affairs. “SUU strives to provide the best undergraduate experience in the State. Clearly the word is getting out and more and more students are wanting the SUU experience.”
The growth success wasn’t just limited to SUU. Cedar City-based Southwest Technical College led all other Utah technical schools with a 20.6% enrollment growth.
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