UMPI summer enrollments up 80 percent

    PRESQUE ISLE — With its summer enrollment numbers nearly doubling since last year, the University of Maine at Presque Isle has the highest percentage increase within the University of Maine System of students taking summer courses. Officials are attributing the increase in large part to summer online course offerings and efforts to respond to students’ needs.
    This year’s summer enrollment is at 886 students, compared to 488 students in 2009, an increase of more than 80 percent from last summer. UMPI officials say the significant increase is due to two major factors — a wider variety of online courses being offered at the campus than ever before and a large number of students throughout the state of Maine and beyond who are taking advantage of these courses because they fit conveniently into their busy summer schedules.
    “We are very pleased to be meeting the needs of these students — including UMPI students who are home for the summer as well as students originating from other college and university campuses from within and outside of Maine,” UMPI Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael Sonntag said. “It’s very clear from these numbers that we have many students who want this kind of accessibility so they can work part- or full-time summer jobs and complete their degrees on time in the most cost-effective way possible.”
    Officials said that students seem to be taking advantage of the University’s online courses for a variety of reasons.