U.B. prepares for record enrolment
It’s getting to be that time of year, when thoughts of summer vacations are being replaced by the anticipation of returning to school. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods was on hand at the U.B. Faculty of Arts and Sciences to sit in with the latest crop of scholars.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Despite the heat of the day, U.B.’s new students turned out en mass for orientation day. U.B.’s president, Dr. Angel Cal says the students will be challenged to become more productive citizens.
Dr. Angel Cal, President, U.B.
“Clearly our investments in human capital must be central to any developmental agenda. We see the university as a major instrument, national instrument in development. And it is in the area of human capital that we come in, where we offer over fifty programmes, even as small as we are, it’s over fifty at this point and growing. Areas that we want to emphasise that are directly tied to our economy in our society.”
The activity was well attended and indicates that a wide cross-section of people are seriously pursuing a higher education.
Dr. Angel Cal
“We are expecting a larger student body that will bring to the university a greater diversity. Students from all over the country both full-time and part-time, married students, unmarried students, fairly young students and more mature students, so this rich diversity will add considerably to the student body.”
To attract students to the university, U.B. held a comprehensive recruitment drive that has contributed to the growing numbers.
Dorla Rosado, Dir. of Admissions/Student Affairs
“we have over three thousand students who have enrolled for the coming 2001. I would like to say that it has something to do with the fact that we did an extensive recruitment countrywide at all the schools and at all the tertiary levels as well as the high schools and we got an excellent response from all over the country. We’ve had an increase in foreign students coming to learn English or some coming to take a semester course or two semesters and then returning to their home universities.”
Students are not only expected to do their work, but actively participate in a number of activities U.B. offers throughout the year.
Dr. Angel Cal, President
“Clearly, a commitment to scholarship to ensure that they can get maximum value from the programmes that we have developed for them. Also, to be more greatly involved in university affairs, sports, community projects, in service activities that the university will be conducting throughout the year including research, a very important activity of the university.”
Administrators say they will not know precisely how many students will be attending the university for the new school year until after registration is completed next week. Reporting for News 5, Jacqueline Woods.
The new term at U.B. begins on August twentieth.
