WEST PLAINS, Mo. – For the first time in four years, enrollment dropped slightly at Missouri State University-West Plains.

According to official enrollment statistics for the 2011 fall semester, 2,142 students are taking classes at the university.  This is a 3.9 percent drop from last year’s tally of 2,229 students, university officials said.

“Enrollment at Missouri State-West Plains is down slightly after four consecutive years of enrollment increases,” Chancellor Drew Bennett said.  “The campus saw a 40 percent increase in enrollment during that same time frame.  With such rapid growth in our student numbers and the trend toward a decrease in high school enrollment in many schools in our seven-county primary service area, we anticipated a leveling off of enrollment at some point in time.

“Nevertheless, we are pleased to have exceeded the 2,000 student mark for the third year in a row,” he continued.  “I am confident that our focus on retention, made possible by recent TRIO, Title III and veterans’ grants which are providing over $3 million spread across the next five years, will begin to show enrollment increases by next fall.”

The final enrollment figure includes students taking classes on the university’s campuses in West Plains and Mountain Grove, as well as online.  In addition, the tally includes students taking classes through dual credit/dual enrollment programs at area high schools, the newly created Great Opportunities for Adult Learners (GOAL) Program, and through the Missouri Sheriff’s Association Training Academy, which, under an agreement with the university, offers a peace officers basic training program that can be applied to meet part of the required credit hours for the university’s Associate of Applied Science in Law Enforcement degree program.

The bachelor’s and master’s degree programs offered locally by Missouri State University’s Outreach office saw an increase in enrollment, going from 137 students in fall 2010 to 167 students this year.