The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) intends to increase student enrollment by roughly 300 undergraduates with hopes of returning the size of its student body to what it was a decade ago.
Enrollment dropped when MIT began to require freshmen to live in on-campus dormitories roughly 10 years ago. Increasing the enrollment to its previous size, about 4,500 undergraduates, would allow MIT to educate more students, something that the school is eager to accomplish, according to Dean of Admissions Stuart Schmill.
"More students means more people studying, playing sports and music. The educational impact will be good," Schmill told the Daily.
Administrators have considered an increase in enrollment for several years. They decided earlier this fall to go forward with plans, though they have yet to finalize the process.
There is "no current time table on this project," Schmill said. "It will not take place this year or even next year."
The push to increase enrollment will not only be directed at the incoming freshmen class, but will also include upperclassman transfer students. As the school searches for funds and space to build additional housing for the expanded student body, Schmill said MIT particularly hopes to attract transfers because the school is not responsible for housing them.
Although MIT has been considerably impacted by the poor economy and is reeling from a 17 percent drop in the school's endowment, Schmill maintained that MIT is not expanding for financial purposes.
"The need for revenue is not the driver of this expansion," he said.
In fact, Schmill said, expanding enrollment may cost the university more than it will bring in, because the expense of educating students exceeds tuition. "If you add more than 100 students, you also have to provide more housing and classes. The cost certainly goes up," Schmill said.
Tufts Dean of Admissions and Enrollment Management Lee Coffin agreed that increasing the size of the student body is not a feasible way of upping revenue.
"As a rule, it's a slippery slope to expand enrollment to combat financial troubles because additional students require additional resources. Each campus has certain limits to its infrastructure, or capacity," Coffin said in an e-mail.
Coffin said that Tufts' stable enrollment over the years has not provided any reason for the university to consider expanding the size of its student body.
MIT administrators do not intend to let the expansion affect the school's academics. MIT plans to add more sections to popular classes and ensure there is sufficient housing for the increased volume of students, Schmill said.
MIT freshman Sneha Kannan was unconcerned that the boost in students would compromise the school's academic standards. She said that the admissions process for transfer students is already stringent.
"It sounds like a transfer program [is] already in place which is often more competitive than freshman admissions. I have faith in the admissions committee to accept students of a high caliber," Kannan told the Daily.
