Northwestern is facing an unusually high number of students who have not yet enrolled.
On Friday, Steve Valencia, Northwestern’s associate vice president of university relations, told us about the issue in which the university is facing with an estimated 500 students not yet enrolled for the fall semester.
In response, we jumped at the opportunity to help in spreading awareness to the students about the importance of them enrolling in the fall.
Valencia said the two biggest issues that the university is facing with the students not yet enrolling is the inability to plan a fall budget and hire any adjunct teachers to fill positions for classes.
“Enrollment is a large priority at Northwestern and we encourage students to get enrolled early so that they are less likely to face roadblocks when turning in their schedules for the upcoming semester,” said Calleb Mosburg, Northwestern’s Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.
“Some students like to put off their enrollment until the last minute and we would like to encourage these students to get this [enrolling] done before leaving for summer,” Mosburg said.
Along with the issues that are posed for the university with the nearly 500 student holding off on enrollment, there are also issues the directly influence them as well.
For the students, enrolling early all but guarantee’s them in classes that they’d like to take.
Enrolling early also shows that the students are gaining responsibility, which in the real world, or life after college, is an essential thing to have.
For a solution to this enrollment issue, the university created the Enrollment Night event tonight from 5-7 p.m. in the Ranger room of the Student Center.
“The Enrollment Night is such a great event and opportunity for student to get help they need in terms of enrollment,” said Kaylyn Hansen, Director of Student Life and Counseling at Northwestern.
For the event, faculty and several advisors will be available for students to meet with and enroll.
The offices will remain open for student throughout the entirely of the event. “The event will give the students a low pressure, welcoming environment in which they can bring their friends to,” Valencia said.
Free food and drinks will be provided as well.
“An event like this just shows how lucky we are to have an administration that will go the extra mile for their students,” Hansen said. “Our administration genuinely cares about our students futures and will go above and beyond to provide the students with the tools to be successful at the university.”