UM sees decline in Wintersession enrollment

Though the University will not know official enrollment numbers until the third week of the semester, enrollment for Wintersession 2012 showed a decline, said Jeff Wimett, the school of extended and lifelong learning registrar.

"We still have strong enrollment, but not as strong as in 2011 and 2010," Wimett said. "But this is not unexpected."

According to Wimett, the University of Montana saw rapid growth in enrollment between 2008 and 2010. Since then the numbers have leveled off because outside factors, like the failing economy and a desire for a longer break, deter students from taking extra classes.

"2010 was the peak of what we've seen in Wintersession with 2,463 students enrolled," Wimett said. "2011 had 2,349, and we estimate that 2012 will have a little less."

However, there are some students who are willing to sacrifice part of their winter break to take an extra course or two to fulfill their own personal goals or certain departments' graduation requirements.

"Some students seem to do better with only one class and enjoy the short class format," Wimett said. "There is also a trend of departments toward making students take every session to complete their education."

Departments such as anthropology, mathematics and art offer courses during Wintersession to allow students the chance to take required classes that were full during the fall semester. Wimett said that courses like these are popular and fill up quickly.

Janesa Foslid, a third-year student at UM, enrolled in an art class for Wintersession, but didn't end up taking her class.

"I was going to take elementary art over Wintersession, but then I got an e-mail asking those of us that didn't need the class to drop it and take it at a different time because there were others that needed it to graduate this spring," Foslid said.

Foslid said because she had another year of school to go, she thought she could give up the class.

Wintersession gains popularity because some departments don't offer certain classes every semester and some classes are only held during these shorter sessions, Wimett said. The counselor education program through the College of Education and Human Sciences is one such program.

Freshman Kylie Rebich studied abroad in Ireland during Wintersession through the Davidson Honors College. This course is only offered in January.

"I've always wanted to travel, and Ireland was one place I wanted to go, so I hopped on the opportunity to go on the trip," Rebich said.

Rebich said the trip gave her an experience she will never forget as she traveled Ireland learning about the history of the land with other students who spent their fall semester and Wintersession studying there.

"I'm so glad I did it," Rebich said. "The trip was amazing … I got a very different cultural outlook."

candace.rojo@umontana.edu