MSU-Northern Sees Enrollment Increase

Director of University Relations, Jim Potter reported last week that enrollment at Montana State University-Northern (MSUN) is up this semester. “This is the first time that we have been up in several years when most of the campuses in the state are currently experiencing a decline,” Potter said.

MSUN reported that 1086 students were attending classes, which is up slightly over last year’s fall enrollment of 1082. MSUN is seeing significant growth in its education, nursing, and trade programs.

Due in part to consortium agreements with Fort Peck Community College and Aaniiih Nakoda College, enrollment in Elementary Education is up 89% over this time last year. Northern is also seeing growth in their nursing program, which has seen a 50% increase in enrollment, and in trade programs, which have expanded their apprenticeship offerings to include pipefitting.

In a recent press release, MSUN’s Chancellor, Greg Kegel said, “These enrollment increases didn’t just fall out of the sky. These wins are due to an intentional and focused strategic plan. Three years ago, we identified these programs as ‘Growth Programs.’ We realized then that these programs needed to grow in order to meet the needs of Montana. Therefore, we made some significant changes to our structure and marketing strategies to help facilitate their growth.”

About these enrollment increases, Dr. Neil Moisey, MSUN’s Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, added: “The gains we are seeing are a direct result of a lot of hard work. We have also seen some enrollment shifts in other programs, so the enrollment growth that we are enjoying is offsetting the enrollment fluctuations.”

Moisey went on to say, “We have found that utilizing outside professional advisory boards for each of our programs is one successful strategy that we are employing to facilitate growth. We are listening to our advisory boards and adjusting our programs to meet the needs that they have identified. This year we have learned a lot about what it takes to transform a program. We plan to strategically help build many other programs with the same level of focus and commitment.”

Although MSUN officials are still reviewing their enrollment numbers, the institution has noticed that retention rates are also trending up. “We believe The Little River Institute has played a key role in helping us recruit and retain American Indian students,” Potter said. “Their newly renovated facility will soon be open, and it will enhance that program’s ability to meet the educational and social needs of our American Indian students,” he added.

Concerted efforts in faculty-led tutoring, the efforts of the Student Support Services, and the Registrar’s office have also had a positive impact on student retention and success, according to Potter.

MSUN student demographics reveal that:

• 85.6% of students are from Montana

• 46.5% of students are from the Hi-Line

• 42.5% of transfer students come from out of state

• 26.4% of students are nontraditional

• 78% of students are first generation college students.

“Last October, MSU-Northern was recognized as the number one school in the State of Montana for economic mobility and number fifteen in the nation. The report focused on the university’s ‘mobility rate,’ or the number of students that started college in the bottom 20 percent of income distribution and reached the top 20 percent,” Kegel stated.

As the institution observes its 90th Anniversary this year, all of these statistics suggest it has additional reasons to celebrate.