SUNO anticipates Spring 2011 enrollment to represent 67% post-Katrina increase

Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) preliminary figures for Spring 2011 indicate that the University will once again attain the highest enrollment since Katrina. The preliminary enrollment is currently at 3,409 students. The final official numbers will be confirmed on February 4, which is the final day for tuition payments. SUNO's enrollment is 1,372 students over its post-Katrina level of 2,037 in Spring 2006, representing an impressive 67 percent increase since the storm. Prior to Katrina, SUNO had 3,647 students enrolled, and the current preliminary figures would represent a 93 percent recovery of the pre-Katrina levels.

"This shows SUNO's commitment to serve the unique traditional and non-traditional student populations throughout the New Orleans area and beyond," points out Chancellor Victor Ukpolo. "In the post-Katrina environment, we have become more resilient and resourceful, making this success possible even with the adoption of selective admission criteria mandated by the Louisiana Board of Regents."

Ukpolo credits the improvement to:

continuing an aggressive all-hands-on-deck approach to communicating with students; visiting their homes and classrooms to address academic and, occasionally, personal issues which may adversely affect school performance; and encouraging students to work directly with their academic advisors.