Downtown ASU officials do not intend to implement any more changes than originally planned in spite of higher-than-expected enrollment numbers reported for the fall semester.
ASU downtown officials reported approximately 4,000 students enrolled at the new downtown Phoenix campus. This number is about 1,500 more students than campus officials originally anticipated.
But University officials said the increase in student enrollment also includes students taking online courses, so the number of students physically attending classes is not dramatically higher.
Sheila Stokes, vice provost for administrative services, said after considering that many students would be taking Enrollment Management online courses, the University's preparations for parking are adequate.
"We most certainly will be able to accommodate the number of students parking at the downtown campus," she said.
Stokes added that construction on University Drive near the Tempe campus altered one of the stops scheduled for a shuttle between the campuses.
The Fulton Center, formerly the Foundation Building, will no longer be a pick-up and drop-off site for the shuttle between the downtown and Tempe campus.
Stokes said the ride between the campuses would last approximately 30 minutes, and the construction on University Drive would have made it difficult for the Fulton stop to match that time. The shuttle will still stop on Forest Avenue and Lemon Street, near the Student Services Building.
Downtown campus security also does not plan on increasing the number of patrols than originally planned, citing that the reported enrollment increase is largely a product of students taking Internet courses.
"Our staffing numbers are sufficient in terms of day-to-day security, police aides and escorts," downtown Phoenix Police Commander Rich Wilson said.
"We would have to see a large spike in the number of full-time students in order to re-evaluate our staffing to create a higher density of staff, and currently we just don't have data that shows that need," he said.
The Phoenix Police Department provides additional security for students at ASU downtown and partners with private company security officials and the Copper Square Ambassadors.
Campus housing numbers also suggest an adequate number of rooms available for fall. Out of the 267 beds available, only 110 are occupied so far at the Residential Commons.
The official breakdown of students enrolled in online as opposed to classroom courses is not available for release yet, said Jill Butler, administrative assistant of Undergraduate Admissions.
"For me to say enrollment figures is premature, because students are still enrolling," Butler said. Butler said the official details of student enrollment would not be processed and released until after Sept. 11.
Reach the reporter at lily.yan@asu.edu.
