Campus welcomes transfer students

Snow and high winds weren't enough to stop dozens of UW-Green Bay transfer students from attending an orientation program Jan. 12. Although not as many as during the fall semester, UWGB will welcome a few new faces to campus this spring semester.

Transfer students who attended the program learned about programs of study offered at UWGB and campus resources, had their questions answered and observed presentations from various faculty and staff.

While final enrollment numbers for the spring 2012 semester will not be available until after it begins, UWGB historically has not had significant numbers of transfer students at the halfway point of the academic year. During the spring 2011 semester, 357 transfer students were admitted, with only 245 of them accepting admission and taking classes. In comparison, during the fall 2011 semester, 942 transfer students were admitted.

"The fall semester is definitely larger when it comes to transfer students," said Pamela Harvey-Jacobs, director of admissions at UWGB. "Of all the new students we have at semester, the vast majority is transfer students, and very few of them are new freshmen."

On average, UWGB only sees a handful of new freshmen start at the spring semester, but like incoming freshmen in the fall, they also have orientation, a registration and resources, or R&R, and welcome programs.

"It's nowhere near the size of the R&R program held for new freshmen during the summer, but we still show them around, give them information, answer questions and assist them with scheduling classes," Harvey-Jacobs said.

Students choose to transfer to UWGB for a variety of reasons, including its location and size.

"It just felt right," one new transfer student said. "When I toured last fall, I loved the atmosphere here, the park-like setting and the fact that all the academic buildings are connected. I knew right away it was a perfect fit for me."

In addition to the aesthetic value of the UWGB campus, other students cited the distance of the campus from their home, the size of the campus and its enrollment, the Kress Events Center and being in the same city as the Green Bay Packers as reasons why they chose UWGB.

Students also cited the academic programs offered at UWGB as reasons to transfer, especially the human biology major—which around 10 percent of all transfer students major in, Harvey-Jacobs said.

The impact of transfer students and new freshmen on UWGB's total enrollment will not be known until after the semester begins. Once accepted, transfers and new students may register for spring semester classes until Feb. 5, the deadline for adding classes. Even without final numbers, UWGB is optimistic in its enrollment figures for the spring semester.

"Things aren't finalized yet, but we're confident our enrollment numbers will be right on track," Harvey-Jacobs said.