The Pros and Cons of Increased Enrollment at the UM

More than 19,500 students set enrollment record at the University of Mississippi this fall semester. This record concerns the staff and students.

Assistant Director of Enrollment Services for Communication Jenny Kate Luster said "Our campus has once again been enriched by a diverse pool of students from around the nation and the world." There are multiple reasons why the enrollment has increased "While we have not pinpointed exact reasons, we believe it, in part, is due to national exposure we've received through various entities, combined with the hard work of the Enrollment Services Office and the affordable and attractive product, that is, Ole Miss," said Luster. Although, this increase is a good look for the campus but there is a downside. Upon entering the campus from any angle, there are students driving in circles trying to find parking. Looking for a place to eat, most of the dining areas are full with students waiting impatiently in line. One murmurer said "I guess I'm gonna have to start bringing my own lunch."

"We need more spaces to sit and eat and I have to wait 15 to 20 minutes for my lunch sometimes which makes me late for my next class," said Patrick Patterson, an Ole Miss student on campus."

Some students find these long lines unattractive and have been turned off. "I have never ate on campus nor been to the Union because I feared being late for class," said Michelle, another Ole Miss student." Although there is no way to pinpoint exactly why this record increase in enrollment occurred, the main increase has come from the freshman class, who are, of course, required to live on campus.

It is obvious that Ole Miss will have to make some adjustments to accommodate the growing campus. "While growth is a good thing because it means more people are interested in our university, I think one of the main concerns is that Ole Miss might lose some of what makes it special (the size and atmosphere) if we keep growing. We do, however, have measures in place to help respond to the growth to ensure our University remains "family-like" in atmosphere," said Luster.