Admissions rule changed by UA

Bar can rise for out-of-state students

FAYETTEVILLE -- Higher demand from in-state students will allow the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville to raise the admissions bar for out-of-state students after a policy change approved Wednesday by UA's faculty senate.

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Each year, the admissions standard can be adjusted for out-of-state students "if enrollment demand from Arkansas resident applicants requires it," the revised policy states.

The move comes as part of an effort to maintain a roughly 50-50 split between in-state and out-of-state students for incoming freshmen. In fall 2015, UA enrolled 4,871 first-time, full-time, degree-seeking freshmen, according to the state Department of Higher Education.

"It really gives us flexibility depending on the number of applications received," said Suzanne McCray, UA's vice provost for enrollment management and dean of admissions.

Standards for Arkansas students are unaffected by the policy change. Arkansas applicants out of high school qualify academically for admission with composite scores of at least 20 on the ACT college entrance exam and a 3.0 minimum grade-point average.

The Faculty Senate first heard the proposal at a meeting last month. On Wednesday, the group approved a change to make explicit that any "higher standard" for out-of-state students refers to their scores on college entrance exams and their high school grade-point average.

McCray said the specific standard might vary based on demand.

The change takes effect for the freshman class of 2017. This fall, the freshman class is anticipated to have about 5,350 students, Provost Ashok Saxena said.

McCray said the number of applications increased by 20 percent.

"We just need some tool to manage when we're overwhelmed with applications," McCray said of the policy. Under the new policy, students from outside the state might be placed on a waiting list to better manage admissions, McCray said.

Applicants who do not meet automatic entrance requirements may appeal the decision, with other factors, such as letters of recommendation, then taken into consideration.

The freshman class this fall will likely continue a trend of enrollment growth that's lasted over a decade and has been fueled in large part by students from outside Arkansas, particularly from Texas. Total enrollment at UA has increased by 50 percent over the past 10 years.

Flagship universities in other states also have increased their proportion of out-of-state students, said Ozan Jaquette, an assistant professor of educational policy studies and practice at the University of Arizona.

"I think the biggest driver by far is states' disinvestment in public higher education," Jaquette said.

Arkansas legislators in recent years have held funding steady for higher education, with a budget under consideration now that would do the same.

Even so, Jaquette said expenses such as health benefits and salaries are rising for universities.

"Public universities have come to the conclusion that state funding is never coming back," Jaquette said, adding that drawing out-of-state students often provides needed revenue for schools.

For 2015, UA received 9,178 applications from out-of-state students, according to an email from McCray. Of that total, 7,572 of the applicants were admitted.

The university generally expects 28 percent to 31 percent of out-of-state students who are accepted to enroll at UA, according to McCray. The university anticipates a higher rate for in-state students, between 53 percent and 55 percent, McCray said.

Metro on 05/05/2016

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