Enrollment at UMPI up from last year

PRESQUE ISLE – Total enrollment as of Wednesday at the University of Maine at Presque Isle was at 1,484, up 117 students from last year.

Some students were still registering for classes, and final official figures will not be available until Oct. 15, a university spokesperson said. Enrollment for Oct. 15, 2001, was 1,367.

Freshman enrollment is up by 31 students over last year, an increase of 12 percent, according to university officials.

Among the total new students, about 49 percent are from Aroostook County, 17 percent are from elsewhere in Maine and 34 percent are from out of state or other countries.

“We have been experiencing a steady growth over the last several years, and I believe that is a result of the quality education we provide,” President Nancy Hensel said in a press release.

As of last Friday, university residential facilities were over capacity by 28 students, and some students were staying at the Presque Isle Inn and Convention Center near the campus on Route 1.

Officials said the housing crunch is the result of more students choosing to reside in residence halls rather than seeking off-campus housing.