Enrollment at the University of Hawaii Maui College has fallen by 146 students, or 3.2 percent, this fall, compared with the previous fall semester, according to the University of Hawaii System, which released official enrollment figures Wednesday.
UH-MC has 4,372 students, university officials said. That is down from the school's enrollment of 4,518 students at the same time last year.
The college's highest enrollment figure was set in the fall 2011, with 4,527 students.
Article Photos
University of Hawaii Maui College culinary arts students Kai Habecker (left) and Abegail Nicolas (right) and dining room instructor Juli Umetsu unwrap new dining room chairs for the Leis Family Class Act restaurant Wednesday afternoon on the Kahului campus. The chairs will replace ones that have been in use since the Class Act opened nine years ago. The old chairs will be refurbished. Umetsu said it is shaping up to be a good year. “These are the hardest-working students I have ever worked with,” she said. “These guys are going to rock this semester.” The University of Hawaii System reported a 3.2 percent decline in enrollment at Maui College this fall, following a record-breaking figure last year.
The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Alvin Tagomori, vice chancellor of student affairs, explained student enrollment fluctuates during the term. The record total achieved last year was as of the fifth Friday of the fall semester last year.
Overall, enrollment in the UH System, which includes the flagship University of Hawaii at Manoa campus, was 60,633 students. That surpassed fall 2011's record enrollment of 60,519 by 114 students, or 0.2 percent, university officials said.
The university's overall enrollment has grown for a sixth straight year, a 21 percent hike since 2006. Much of the growth has been at UH-West Oahu and community colleges, officials reported.
"We're excited to see our enrollment continue to grow throughout the University of Hawaii System as it shows the value placed in the pursuit of higher education," said UH Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost Linda Johnsrud. "Now that we have these students in the door, we are doing our best to make sure they stay in college and graduate on time. We continue to increase student aid and educate students about the steps they need to take and the resources available to them to ensure they succeed."
Enrollment at other colleges included:
* University of Hawaii at Manoa, 20,320 students, an increase of seven students or virtually flat enrollment.
* UH-West Oahu, 2,023 students, an increase of 324, or 19.1 percent.
* Hawaii Community College, 3,686 students, a decrease of 247, or 6.3 percent.
* Honolulu Community College, 4,650 students, a decrease of six, or 0.1 percent.
* Kapiolani Community College, 9,081 students, a decrease of 52, or 0.6 percent.
* Kauai Community College, 1,512 students, an increase of 78, or 5.4 percent.
* Leeward Community College, 8,039 students, an increase of 92, or 1.2 percent.
* Windward Community College, 2,778 students, an increase of 41, or 1.5 percent.
Separately, about 20,000 registrations in noncredit programs are expected throughout the UH System, officials said.
For more information, go online to www.hawaii.edu/offices/app/openenroll.
