But officials claim decrease was ‘intentional’ to maintain balanced ratio between faculty and students
A TOTAL of 41,554 students have enrolled in UST for the first term of Academic Year 2023-2024, lower than last year’s first-term tally of 43,631 when there were more online classes, data from the Office of the Registrar showed.
After the enrollment period concluded on Aug. 15, the total number of students was 4.76 percent lower than the previous year’s total of 43,631 Thomasians enrolled in the first term.
UST’s Term 1 student population consisted of 34,569 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs, 5,246 students in Senior High School (SHS), 1,394 students in Junior High School, and 345 students in Education High School.
The Faculty of Engineering continued having the biggest enrollment turnout this year, with 4,239 students.
The Faculty of Arts and Letters and the Faculty of Pharmacy followed with 3,600 and 3,223 enrollees, respectively.
The Faculty of Arts and Letters and Faculty of Engineering had the most first-year students this year, with 1,254 and 1,239, respectively.
Lower enrollment turnouts were recorded in the following academic units:
- College of Nursing (729 from 938)
- Institute of Physical Education and Athletics (275 from 343)
- UST-Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy (2,204 from 2,465)
- Conservatory of Music (441 from 467)
- College of Commerce (2,678 from 2,806)
- College of Education (1,274 from 1,435)
- College of Fine Arts and Design (1,814 from 1,899)
- College of Information and Computing Sciences (1,998 from 2,006)
- College of Rehabilitation Sciences (1,201 from 1,420)
- Faculty of Pharmacy (3,223 from 3,515)
- Faculty of Civil Law (729 from 751)
- Graduate School (1,396 from 1,595)
- Senior High School (5,246 from 6,003)
Intake numbers ‘deliberate’
According to some academic unit heads, the dip in the number of enrollees this term was “strategic” and “deliberate.”
Prof. Rowena Chua, dean of the College of Nursing, said there was a conscious decision to reduce the number of students to ensure the “quality of education” in the college.
“The decline in student enrollment is not because there is a decrease in the interest of students taking up nursing. We deemed it wise to reduce the number of students we will admit for now so we can provide them [the] quality of education they deserve,” Chua told the Varsitarian.
“Getting too many students at this time may affect the capacity of the college to continue its operations without compromising the quality of the education we provide,” she added.
Chua also said that the number of faculty members in the college was enough despite migration and the shortage of nurses globally.
This year, there was a 22.28-percent decrease in the number of UST nursing enrollees, dropping from 938 last year to 729 this first term.
SHS Principal Assoc. Prof. Mary Erika Bolaños said the drop in SHS enrollees was meant to balance the ratio of academic staff to students.
“The recent decrease in enrollment at UST SHS is a strategic and deliberate step aligned with our careful planning to ensure the optimal balance between the student population, academic staff, and available resources,” Bolaños told the Varsitarian.
“This approach allows us to uphold the high standard of quality instruction that we are known for while maintaining a conducive learning environment.”
Enrollment in UST SHS dropped by 12.61 percent this year, to 5,246 enrollees from last year’s 6,003.
No courses will be exclusively conducted either online or on-site this academic year. Mabel Anne B. Cardinez and Nyah Genelle C. De Leon
