Ricks College will boost enrollment from its current level of 8,277 students to about 8,600 students beginning fall semester 1998.
The higher ceiling comes in response to a desire by the Ricks College Board of Trustees to allow more students to attend the Church-owned junior college. Because of the expected larger enrollment, Ricks College will hire about 15 new faculty members for the fall semester to teach the extra classes that will be necessary.College and Church officials also have decided to hold enrollment at 8,600 students for the foreseeable future because of limited building space. Any further growth will require additional office and classroom space that has not been approved.
"We are excited to have an opportunity to extend the Ricks College experience to more youth of the Church," said college Pres. David A. Bednar. "Increased enrollment will enable us to bless more students and more fully utilize existing campus facilities."
Ricks College has been handling about 8,000 students a semester during the 1990s. Due to a desire to accommodate more students, the college admitted approximately 250 more students this fall. The overall 7.5 percent combined growth in 1997 and 1998 is made possible by hiring more faculty and offering more afternoon classes in existing classrooms.
