The MSU Board of Trustees presented preliminary enrollment numbers for the most populated colleges in the university for the 2001-2001 academic year at its meeting Friday.
Leading the list was The Eli Broad College of Business followed by the College of Natural Science, the College of Social Science and the College of Engineering - the same top four as last year.
With 5,680 students, The Eli Broad College of Business has held the highest student enrollment at MSU for four consecutive spring semesters.
Nationally, the business college was ranked 16th overall this year by the U.S. News & World Report.
Michael Mazzeo, acting associate dean for undergraduate programs, said the college’s reputation may be what has drawn so many students.
“It’s a highly regarded business school,” Mazzeo said. “We survey our graduating class and the placement is high.”
The College of Natural Science holds the second highest enrollment this year with 5,570 students. Associate Dean Estelle McGroarty credits the Lyman Briggs School with attracting a significant number of those students.
“In the early ’90s, the nation saw a rise in interest in medicine,” she said. “There is now a slight and slow drop nationwide, but our enrollment is still staying reasonably high.”
McGroarty also credits the emergence of modern molecular biology and trends in technology for gene analysis for the steady enrollment as these subjects become increasingly important.
The College of Social Science has an enrollment of 5,225 students and is the third most populated college on campus.
John Herrick, associate dean of academic and student affairs for the college, said enrollment has been growing steadily over the years, and he expects it will continue to grow.
Herrick said there are many career opportunities through the majors at the College of Social Science and these factors are key in the increasing enrollment.
“We have such a wide array of options for students in this college,” he said. “Many people are attracted to social and behavioral issues because they are important to understanding the world these days.”
The college with the fourth highest enrollment is the College of Engineering with 4,500 students, which is slightly higher than previous years.
To handle the high numbers, undergraduate enrollment in each major within the college has been limited to a set number of juniors and seniors at a given time.
But Dean Janie Fouke said it may be time to revisit that policy.
“Lab space, faculty and courses are different,” Fouke said. “I think it’s sad when we have to turn away kids with high grade points and accomplishments because they aren’t the highest.”
