Enrollment numbers on Census Day

Brigitte Ortiz | THE RIDER

This spring semester, enrollment numbers have decreased slightly since last month. Census Day for the university was Jan. 27, with 30,075 students attending the university.

Magdalena “Maggie” Hinojosa, senior vice president for Strategic Enrollment and Student Affairs, said the enrollment numbers are not official until they are reported by the Office of Strategic Analysis and Institutional Reporting around March. 

“There’s still time, there’s cleanup, there’s things that have to happen, but I will give you enrollment as it is after census and all drops that occur, and we are at 30,075 [students],” Hinojosa said. 

The report shows a decrease from the beginning of the semester, when there were 30,147 students enrolled,  but an increase from last spring’s 27,316.

Asked what some potential reasons for this change may be, she replied, “Well, you know, fall enrollment has a direct impact on spring, right, and our fall enrollment was high. It was over 31,000 students, and so this is a direct reflection of that enrollment, and so obviously, we’ve had an increase in our undergraduate population, significant increases in our graduate population.”

There are 24,286 undergraduate and 5,572 graduate students. The UTRGV School of Medicine is not included in the figures.

Of the undergraduates, 3,604 are freshmen, 4,783 sophomores, 6,446 juniors and 9,056 are seniors. There are also 397 post-baccalaureate students.

Hinojosa said the university will continue with programs that have helped students, such as the four-year guaranteed tuition. 

“So, when a student comes to UTRGV in their first year, their tuition and mandatory fees are guaranteed for four years; that has not changed,” she said. “I think that’s something that a lot of times, it’s lost sight of, and so we continue to remind our students, and especially new students, that we have that four-year guarantee.”

Late last spring, after the pandemic hit, the university increased the income threshold for the Tuition Advantage grant to $95,000 or less. 

“We were able to reach a few more students with that increase,” Hinojosa said. “And then, of course, the CARES funding that we received. We provided cash grants in both the fall and the spring and last summer. We used UTRGV money to provide some tuition incentives for students, as well. So, we continue to support our students with any funding that we receive from the federal government or the state through this pandemic.”

CARES stands for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. It is a $2.2 trillion federal stimulus bill meant to alleviate the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Treasury Department.

Parwinder Grewal, executive vice president for Research, Graduate Studies and New Program Development and dean of the Graduate College, said there are 5,572 students enrolled in the graduate college, an increase of 30 students compared to the preliminary numbers at the beginning of the semester. 

“This is a definite increase,” Grewal said. “The way we look at the increase is from last spring. So, from last spring, [the] increase is 46%.” 

He said there are 380 doctoral students, 5,114 master students and 78 post-master’s students.

“That means they are getting a master’s degree,” Grewal said. “They are engaged in either [graduate] certificates, or a few take another master’s programs. So, we put them all together as post-master’s students. Those are 78.”

He said the doctorate in mathematics, statistics and interdisciplinary applications has been approved and will start in Fall 2021.

“Everything is done about it,” Grewal said. “It will start in the Fall. The doctorate in nursing practice has also been approved, and that will also start in Fall 2021.” 

He said the graduate college is doing a few things to grow enrollment numbers. 

“No. 1, we are continuing to waive GRE and GMAT requirements for most programs,” Grewal said. “No. 2, we offered a spring relief package to all students. Third, we also offered a $1,000 dean’s scholarship to all qualified new students. These are the three key things that we are doing this spring semester.”

He said he appreciates students who are interested in UTRGV.

“We are committed to their success,” Grewal said. “We will do everything possible to help support the students during this difficult time, and we are here at the graduate college to listen to the students and to help them with whatever help they need.”