SMSU enrollment reaches nine-year high

The fall semester enrollment in the Southwest Missouri State University system, which includes the campuses in Springfield and West Plains, is 20,006 students, according to a news release from SMSU. That number is 3.17 percent higher than fall semester enrollment last year, which was 19,371.

This year's total comprises 18,468 students enrolled on the Springfield campus and 1,653 in West Plains. There are 115 students enrolled at both campuses, but they were only counted once for the system-wide total.

This is the first time since 1992 that combined enrollment on the SMSU campuses has surpassed 20,000, and this is the fifth consecutive year the SMSU system has experienced enrollment growth.

Enrollment at the SMSU-West Plains campus achieved an all-time high with this year's fall enrollment, the release stated. Fall 2001 enrollment figures are based on figures taken on the 20th day of class, which is SMSU's official enrollment census date.