Andy McWhorter of the Crimson White, the University of Alabama’s student newspaper, published a fascinating article on Monday about a new reality at UA’s Tuscaloosa campus — Alabamians are in the minority for the first time.
Out-of-state students made up 4,279, or about 62 percent, of this year’s 6,865-person freshman class, according to the Office of Institutional Research’s annual census. In-state students, on the other hand, accounted for 2,474, about 36 percent. While this is the highest the ratio of out-of-state to in-state students in a freshman class has ever been, the trend itself is nothing new. Out-of-state students have outnumbered in-state students in every freshman class since 2011.
This year, the trend of freshman classes with out-of-state majorities has tipped the scales of total student enrollment for the first time. In-state students now account for 17,830, about 49 percent, of the University’s 36,155-person student body. Students from states other than Alabama make up 16,622, about 46 percent, of the student population, while international students make up 1,670, about five percent.
Together, out-of-state and international enrollees total 18,292 students, 51 percent of the University’s student body. By a margin of 462 students, in-state students are a minority for the first time in The University of Alabama’s history.
McWhorter noted that the shift in student population is no accident, but is rather the result of a well-designed and relentlessly executed plan by the university’s leadership, who several years ago set their sights on ramping up the total student population to unprecedented levels.
But even though the majority of Bama’s students no longer hail from the Yellowhammer State, most of them still come from the Southeastern U.S.
According to the report, “Of the 16,622 out-of-state students at the University, 5,901 come from Georgia, Florida, Tennessee or Mississippi. Another 1,612 call Texas home. Only California, with 901 students, breaks the top five in number enrolled and isn’t part of the South.”
And although its unrealistic to expect the growth to continue at its current rate, UA President Judy Bonner told the Crimson White that she expects total enrollment to continue increasing for years to come.
“We expect our enrollment to continue to grow in the next several years, although at a slower rate than in the past,” she said. “We have planned for this growth and will continue to expand our faculty and our facilities to meet the needs of all our students.”
Oh, and in case you were wondering, 63 percent of Auburn’s student body is from Alabama.
The full post in the Crimson White is well worth your time.
Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims
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