University of Missouri says freshmen enrollment up by double digits

The University of Missouri touted increases in the number of freshmen enrolled Monday — the first day of fall semester classes.

The university in a news release said 5,459 freshmen were enrolled Monday, more than 16 percent higher than the number last year, when 4,696 were enrolled on the first day. The number marks another year of double-digit percentage growth — the 2018 enrollment number was about 13 percent higher than the 2017 number.

The increases are part of an ongoing enrollment rebound at the university after numbers dropped following protests on campus in fall 2015, clashes with Missouri politicians and subsequent turnover in top university management positions.

The university said overall enrollment grew 1 percent, with 29,677 enrolled in classes Monday. The university said the 87.6 percent of 2018 freshmen who returned to MU this year is a record. Minority enrollment overall increased about 4.2 percent, the university said.

An official count of the student population will take place about four weeks into classes.

CORRECTION: A date reference to protests on the MU campus has been corrected.

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