Texas State University's record enrollment met with both praise and concern

By: Roy Zorola

A report which points to record enrollment at Texas State University has been met with a positive reaction from students, but construction and infrastructure are now bigger concerns than ever.

The community responded to a press release by the university which stated that the university's student enrollment grew to roughly 36,700, making Texas State the fourth-largest university in the state of Texas. Trouth offered a glimpse into the implications of these numbers through a letter addressed to the community.

Candace Jackson
Photo by Natalie Walther

"Although our growth poses some space challenges, what's also telling is that Texas State has become a top destination among prospective college students," Trouth's letter said.

Interviews with students have yielded similar insights, with some touting the school’s size as a major selling point to them.

Candace Jackson, a junior at Texas State, explained that she came to the school because she grew up in a small town and did not want to go to a small school.

“I wanted to experience more in order to develop myself as a person,” Jackson said. “You are more cultured when you are in a bigger environment like this."

Leanne Halliburton

Leanne Halliburton, a freshman elementary education major, said that she was already used to a big school feel from having attended a big high school. In her mind, the growth of Texas State is a good thing because she feels it is always good to grow the alumni network and donor base.

Josh Mitchell
Photo by Kiersten Ehr

Others, such as Josh Mitchell, a government major, had a different take when asked if the school’s size influenced his decision to attend.

“I have been to UT, my sister went there and it was overwhelming,” Mitchell said. “Growing up in a town of 12,000…I didn’t want to go anywhere too big.”

The increased enrollment has amplified some commonly shared concerns among student however, and chief among these concerns is the lagging infrastructure around the university and town. Student Darbie Walker did not hesitate to share her frustration with the situation.

“I hate everything about the parking. There just isn’t enough of it,” Walker said. “They keep building new dorms and no parking garages. Where do they expect everyone to park?”

Reagan Page
Photo by Fabiola Marroquin

Joshua Hinojosa
Photo by Victoria Marin

Even Jackson, who was enthusiastic about the increased enrollment, believes that parking and traffic have become a huge problem. Another enthusiastic student, Reagan Page, admitted that her only reservation about the school’s size was the traffic and lack of parking. Otherwise, she said would like to see the community continue to grow.

Joshua Hinojosa, a junior international relations student, believes that the school could do more besides add more parking. He said that he has found it difficult to register for classes and believes that the school could do more to hire more faculty and add more courses. He remains optimistic about this growth in enrollment however.

“I still want to see it grow; I’m sure they can find ways to accommodate that,” Hinojosa said. “As the enrollment grows, so can the staff.”