For the fifth year in a row, a record number of students are taking classes at the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Universities. More than 90 percent of the 109,088 students enrolled this fall are Pennsylvania residents.

Enrollment is up for the 10 consecutive year across PASSHE, with half of the Universities breaking their own all-time enrollment records. An additional 1,837 students are attending PASSHE Universities this semester over Fall 2005.

With another year of record enrollment, PASSHE remains the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth.

Minority enrollment also is at an all-time high. A record 11,986 minority students – 11 percent of the total student enrollment – are taking classes at PASSHE Universities this semester.

“PASSHE Universities continue to be in high demand, both because of their high quality academic programs and their affordability,” said PASSHE Chancellor Judy G. Hample. “We take our role as Pennsylvania’s public universities very seriously, providing both access and opportunity to students and are committed to serving the needs of our students and the Commonwealth efficiently and effectively.”

PASSHE Universities are the lowest-cost option among all four-year colleges and universities in Pennsylvania. The Board of Governors in July approved a 2.7 percent tuition increase for the 2006-07 school year that was the fourth lowest in PASSHE’s more than 20-year history. It also was about half the average increase among public universities nationwide.

While striving to keep tuition affordable, PASSHE Universities also are continually enhancing their academic programs, and have developed a number of new programs in recent years to address the changing workforce needs of employers across the Commonwealth.

“We are committed to both academic quality and affordability,” said Board of Governors Chairman Kenneth M. Jarin. “We want to provide our students with the best educational value available anywhere. It is equally as important for the PASSHE Universities to work with the Commonwealth to help ensure a strong and vital economic future for Pennsylvania.

The 14 PASSHE Universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. More than 405,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania. The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania.

Fall 2006 Enrollment by University

University Enrollment

Bloomsburg 8,723*

California7,720*

Cheyney 1,667

Clarion 6,591*

East Stroudsburg 7,013*

Edinboro 7,579

Indiana 14,248

Kutztown 10,193*

Lock Haven5,175

Mansfield3,360

Millersville 8,194*

Shippensburg7,516

Slippery Rock 8,230*

West Chester 12,879

PASSHE Total 109,088*

* Record