The number of students on campus this summer is up from past years, and the university is hoping to continue its summer growth in the future.

There are 8,061 students enrolled at the main campus this summer, an increase of 105 students from last summer.

Pete Goldsmith, vice president for enrollment management and student affairs, said students are still able to sign up for the second and third sessions of summer classes, so enrollment numbers may still rise.

Goldsmith said some of the changes made from last summer include the amount of classes offered and when and how classes are offered.

“The most significant changes are the ones made by deans, chairs and directors of colleges,” said Terri Christensen, executive director for student success programs.

Christensen said feedback from an in-depth survey taken by students has helped deans, chairs and directors understand when a better time to offer classes for students would be.

Noel-Levitz, a Colorado consulting firm hired by the university last summer, suggested a marketing plan to increase enrollment. The firm also has specific summer goals, including making registration easy for students only taking classes in Kent for the summer.

The plan for next summer focuses on creating a task force and improving accessibility and the number, time and format of offered classes.

The plan made by Noel-Levitz is not yet in full force because there wasn’t enough time to implement it for this summer. Creating a task force of representatives from each college and revamping summer programs is the goal to increase enrollment for 2009.

Kent State’s Geauga campus has already made major changes to its summer programs.

After reviewing enrollment for last summer, the scheduling committee of faculty, staff, administrators and advisers, made several improvements for this summer.

The committee deleted summer session II after low enrollment, and added an early session, a late session and a late intersession.

“This is a pilot summer for us,” said Donna Moore-Ramsey, assistant dean of the Geauga campus. “After (this summer) we will sit down and review, evaluate and refine.”

Christensen said the main campus can learn from Geauga’s example.

“These improvements are ones that Kent can aspire to,” she said.

Contact student affairs reporter Katie Garland at [email protected].