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News Release

Last modified: Wednesday, August 24, 2011

IU President McRobbie, campus officials greet near-record freshman class at IU Bloomington

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 24, 2011

EDITORS: Several new IU Bloomington students have agreed to be interviewed by media. Those media wanting to talk with students should contact Ryan Piurek, University Communications, at 812-855-5393 or rpiurek@indiana.edu.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie joined other IU officials today (Aug. 24) in greeting IU Bloomington's Class of 2015, projected to be the second-largest freshman class in the university's history.

This fall, an estimated 7,400 freshmen will be enrolled at IU Bloomington. More than 4,600 -- or 62 percent -- of those students are from Indiana and represent 91 different counties from around the state.

For the sixth consecutive year, first-year enrollment at IU Bloomington will surpass the 7,000-student mark. (The campus set a record in 2008 with 7,564 undergraduate beginners, and total campus enrollment has been over 42,000 students for the past two years.) Additionally, IU officials expect this year's entering class in Bloomington will feature one of the most academically accomplished cohorts of in-state students in the university's history.

Preliminary statistics on first-year students at IU Bloomington and information on their academic profile and scholarship support will be made available early next week, the first week of classes. Also next week, the university will provide preliminary data on total enrollment for all IU campuses, which is once again expected to top the 100,000 mark. Official census figures for fall 2011 are expected to be released around the week of Sept. 5.

"In a very competitive college search process, in which students are applying to more than seven colleges or universities on average, we are particularly delighted that we have enrolled an increased number of Indiana residents this year as beginning students at IU Bloomington," said IU Vice Provost of Enrollment Management David Johnson. "We know students have many choices as to where to attend college, and we are excited to welcome these first-year students to the academic community of IU.

"I am very pleased with the class and the efforts of our staff in Enrollment Management and the collective work of IU Bloomington students, faculty and staff who worked to recruit, admit, enroll and orient these outstanding students," Johnson added.

This afternoon, President McRobbie and Karen Hanson, IU executive vice president and provost of IU Bloomington, will join faculty and staff in formally welcoming the Class of 2015 during Freshman Induction ceremonies. During Freshman Induction, which has been an IU tradition for more than 70 years, incoming freshmen learn "Hail to Old IU," the official alma mater, and hear about some of the university's ceremonial traditions before adjourning to an induction picnic.

In his prepared remarks, McRobbie described the traditions of education and research at IU that date back nearly two centuries to the university's founding in 1820. He also urged freshmen to embrace a new world of educational experiences and IU school spirit at annual events such as Dance Marathon, Homecoming and Little 500.

"It is a world of proud traditions and limitless opportunity that lie at the heart of the best liberal education, an education that necessarily expands well beyond classroom walls," McRobbie said. "It is a world that will require each and every one of you to bear new responsibilities as your horizons expand, and those horizons will expand."

Provost Hanson, in her prepared remarks, said, "On this campus, rich opportunities lie before you: the chance to interact with fellow students from culturally diverse backgrounds, an immense variety of course offerings and co-curricular activities, outstanding faculty, the nation's finest university library -- all of which represent an unparalleled opportunity to plunge into the life of the mind. Take advantage of these opportunities. They will help you gain a new appreciation for -- and a new understanding of -- the world in which we live."

This morning, as part of the annual tradition known as Move-In Day, McRobbie, Hanson, IU First Lady Laurie Burns McRobbie and Dean of Students Harold "Pete" Goldsmith visited the halls of residence and extended a personal welcome to new IU students and their families. Resident assistants, students involved in residence hall student government and returning students who volunteered as orientation assistants also helped greet the newcomers.

This year's Move-In Day was also marked by the re-opening of the Briscoe Shoemaker Tower, part of the first phase of a $42 million renovation project at Briscoe Residence Center, located at 1225 N. Fee Lane. In its new configuration, Shoemaker Tower will be home to 345 students in a variety of suite-style living arrangements.

Briscoe Shoemaker features four-person suites with shared living rooms and baths, two- and three-person suites with shared baths and two-person and single rooms with private baths. It also is home to the Fitness and Wellness Living Learning Center, which includes a fitness area and dance studio, as well as classrooms, a dining service, a student government office and a Hutton Honors College Residential Community.

All rooms are fully furnished and include air conditioning, fire protection/sprinkled smoke detection, card-access security, cable TV service, wireless Internet service, utilities and insulated windows. Each floor will have a room equipped with eco-friendly washers and dryers. Rooms in Briscoe Shoemaker will be available for media to photograph.

According to IU Residential Programs and Services, more than 10,900 students are living in residence halls. The large freshman class, combined with an increasing number of returning students living in campus housing, means that about 200 students will start the fall semester living in temporary/supplemental housing. Some students who have received "supplemental" assignments are expected to be moved into regular rooms within a few weeks.

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