In a move that has caused considerable controversy on its campus, Princeton University is considering expanding the size of its student body by 10 percent, possibly the most significant change since the university became coeducational.
The recommendation is to gradually increase the student body from 4,600 to 5,100 members, which, if approved, would not be implemented before the construction of necessary dormitory facilities. The plan was initiated by a Board of Trustees committee.
The idea is now more a viable option for the N.J. school than it ever has been since it originated three years ago with the appointment of the Trustee committee led by Paul W. Wythes.
Long proud of the university's famously low student-to-faculty ratio, members of the Princeton community have greeted the proposal with mixed reactions. While some have registered their support, many worry that an influx of new students would dilute the quality of undergraduate education.
"Those in favor say that gradually over time, the faculty size has grown, our infrastructure has grown, and it is logical that we can now expand the size of the student body to let more people take advantage of those resources," Princeton's Director of Communications Justin Harmon said.
"The folks who've expressed cautions that I've heard are mostly concerned with expanding the size of the place, and that raises questions as to whether we'll be able to maintain the level of commitment to each individual student," he added.
While the Wythes report says that no additional faculty growth is planned beyond the annual one percent increase that the university has seen for over 25 years, it does suggest that minor alterations to course offerings will be necessary. It also suggests that planned growth will take place where pressure on teaching and advising is greatest.
Although Dartmouth and Princeton have similar enrollment patterns -- Dartmouth's student body has only three hundred fewer students than Princeton's, making them two of the smallest colleges in the Ivy League -- Dartmouth has no intentions of undertaking a similar expansion.
"At Dartmouth, we certainly have a modest [applicant] pool to increase the size, but there are absolutely no plans to do that. Unlike Princeton University, we don't have the capacity," Dartmouth's Dean of Admissions Karl Furstenberg said.
Furstenberg added that Princeton's plans would likely not alter its perception as a selective institution. "They'll end up admitting about 200 more students each year and that's going to increase their selectivity from 12 to about 13 percent; it wouldn't make them less selective at all," he said.
Princeton's Dean of Admissions Fred Hargodon told the Wythes committee that he could admit two undergraduate classes of the current size without compromising intellectual abilities.Behind Princeton's push to expand the size of its student body is a desire for greater diversity. The report said that despite the extensive financial aid packages the university offers, "redoubled efforts at recruiting are necessary."
By increasing the number of students admitted each year, the admissions office would potentially be able to offer more spots to candidates of more variant backgrounds.
Currently, the need to fill spots on sports teams can sometimes limit the number of available spots to international and minority students, the report indicates.
An expanded student body would also allow the university to admit a small number of transfer students, which it has not been able to do for several years.
