University recruitment and outreach efforts helped propel new student enrollment to an increase of 10 percent, and the overall enrollment of students has increased by 2 percent from last fall, according to the Office of Institutional Research.

The numbers were gathered on the census date, which is 20 days into the semester to allow for the student population to stabilize amid adding and dropping classes.

While administrators are pleased about growth in the student population, the more important figure is the full-time equivalent students count because funds are allocated from the California State University system for this count rather than headcount, said Larry Glasmire, director of special programs and enrollment analysis.

Sacramento State has seen a 2 percent increase of its full-time equivalent student count.

The full-time equivalent student count differs from headcount because it is counted by units rather than number of students enrolled. Every 15 units taken by undergraduate students and 12 units by students pursuing master’s degrees count as one full-time equivalent student.

For example, two part-time undergraduate students, one taking six units and the other taking nine units would add together to be one full-time equivalent student.

Not only is it important to have increase in enrollment, but students also have to take more units for the university to see a significant increase in full-time equivalent students.

While the average student unit load increase from 12.14 to 12.19 seems minor, any improvement is significant because it means that students are taking more classes and are getting the schedule they need, Glasmire said.

Associate Vice President of Public Affairs Frank Whitlatch said Sac State has been working toward stable increases in the student population because budgets are easier to plan when enrollment is predictable and the university doesn’t have to worry about it being contingent on economic or social factors that might come up in the future.

To address and solve concerns about enrollment figures mentioned by President Alexander Gonzalez during the fall address, the Office of Outreach, Admissions and Records, ramped up the outreach effort by increasing communication with interested students, Whitlatch said.

These efforts include e-mails, phone calls, representation on high school campuses and radio ads, Whitlatch said.

The work has paid off, for the number of new freshmen and junior transfers increased about 5 percent each, Glasmire said.

In addition, the number of new post-baccalaureate students ?” students who’ve already earned a bachelor’s degree and are coming back for teaching credentials, graduate studies or a second bachelor’s degree ?” has gone up about 9 percent, Glasmire said.

“It’s about controlling our destiny,” Whitlatch said about having a controlled enrollment rate.

Each of the CSU campuses has to meet enrollment targets to keep up the university system’s end of the compact that the CSU and University of California systems signed with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger two years ago.

The compact generated funding for the CSU and UC systems in exchange for increased enrollment and allowed for each to increase student fees in predictable increments.

The compact was signed to provide more educational opportunities for students, so the CSU system agreed to grow about 2.5 percent ?” an estimated 8,000 students ?” per year in enrollment, according to the CSU website.

Each campus commits enrollment goals each year to contribute to the system-wide growth, and funds are allocated accordingly.

While administrators are pleased about Sac State’s growth, some faculty members wince at the prospect of more students in each class.

Cecil Canton, Sac State chapter president of the California Faculty Association, said the increase of students has resulted in crowded classrooms and heavier workloads for the faculty.

Canton said what the full-time equivalent student counting method doesn’t take into account is that a classroom of 40 students can have equal full-time equivalent student count as a classroom of 30.

Having more students in the class means that professors will have more tests to make, papers to grade and less time to devote to students, Canton said.

“(The full-time equivalent student count) is easier for people to count,” he said. “It’s not the best measure for budgeting, but it’s the measure we’re stuck with for whatever reason.”

While Glasmire said the average student unit load has increased, it still means that the average student still falls short of being counted as a full-time equivalent student.

“It’s important to always have recruitment efforts going on,” Whitlatch said. “We have to strike a balance between going overboard and ensuring that students hear from us.”

Mary Chou can be reached at [email protected]