VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) - A University System of Georgia report finds that while enrollment in Georgia colleges and universities increased, it fell at Valdosta State University (VSU).
Current enrollment at VSU is down 2.3% from fall 2014.
Statewide, the University System of Georgia's 30 colleges and universities totaled more than 318,000 students, an increase of 1.7%.
Valdosta State says despite the decline, they have a number of initiatives on campus aimed at getting those numbers back up including a newly created taskforce, focused on raising campus retention rates from 70% to 80%.
VSU's interim president, Dr. Cecil P. Staton, says the university has also launched a $2 million branding, imaging, and marketing campaign called VSYOU.
"We are pleased that our applications for fall 2016 are approximately double what they were the same time last year," says Dr. Staton. "This is in some measure impacted by our ability to charge in-state tuition to students from Florida, South Carolina, and Alabama. This is a good sign that more students are considering VSU. I am confident our enrollment numbers will trend upwards."
