By Amanda Schapel
DAILY BRUIN SENIOR STAFF
[email protected]
New minimum progress requirements, reductions in enrollment
fees, and increases in summer financial aid have wrought
“enormous change” in summer school enrollment numbers
this year.
“Summer study is becoming a part of campus culture,”
David Unruh said.
Last year, UCLA summer school student enrollment numbers rose 55
percent from the previous year, and enrolled students took more
units than usual. This summer, enrollment has risen by about
another 15 percent, Unruh said. Summer session enrollment numbers
have also risen at other UCs and many California State University
campuses.
UCLA students take summer classes to experience the more relaxed
environment, to fill requirements that would otherwise keep them
from graduating on time, and to lighten their class load come
fall.
“I want to graduate earlier, and I want something to do
because three months is a long time,” said fourth-year
electrical engineering student Joseph Kwon.
David Miller, a fifth-year biological chemistry student, is
enrolled in an English General Education class this summer.
“I look forward to reading some books, which you
don’t have time for as a South Campus major,” Miller
said.
Lex Chen, a third-year molecular, cell and developmental biology
major said he is taking introductory psychology to fill an
“easy” GE requirement while studying for the Law School
Admission Test.
UC students no longer pay summer registration fees and pay less
for summer courses ever since the state of California began footing
part of UC students’ bill last year.
The state is making an effort to encourage more students to take
summer school as a way to help deal with system-wide enrollment
growth.
Chen said he “didn’t even know” that his
enrollment fees were reduced, but Unruh said “the dramatic
reduction in fees” has had a substantial impact on the
numbers of UCLA students enrolled this summer.
Summer sessions enrollment numbers are also up for local Los
Angeles high school students and new UCLA admits.
“Admission to UCLA is highly prized and students are
anxious to get a start,” Unruh explained.
Summer financial aid awards have increased to help fund the
greater numbers of attending students and because “the
university (is) making summer sessions a priority,” said
Pamela Martin, associate director of Financial Aid Operations.
The number of financial aid awards this summer is already as
high as last year’s total ““ 3,000 awards ““ so
Martin estimated the end-of-summer total will be about 200 awards
higher than last year’s.
Summer financial aid is available to continuing students from
UCLA and three other “state-supported” campuses ““
UC Santa Barbara, UC Berkeley and UC Davis.
New admits were not eligible for financial aid this year, but
“the eventual plan is to make financial aid available to
incoming freshmen,” Martin said.
The only students appearing in slightly smaller numbers than
usual this summer are international students, because getting visas
has been more difficult after Sept. 11, Unruh said.
“The (Immigration and Naturalization Service) is looking
much more closely at student visas and is much more willing to
decline them,” Unruh said.
About 500 international students usually attend UCLA summer
sessions, but this year their number will drop to about 430, Unruh
said.
Though summer enrollment numbers have increased, the demand for
on-campus housing has remained fairly consistent with that of last
summer, according to Angela Marciano, associate director of Housing
and Hospitality Services.
Unruh said his department is “all very happy” with
the increased enrollment, and this year’s summer sessions
will be “as active and vital as before.”