What increased Texas State enrollment means for San Marcos

By Sarah Bey

With the rapid increase of Texas State enrollment, the student population is slowly taking over the city of San Marcos.

Thousands of students walk through the Quad daily. Photo by: Sarah Bey

In her press release, "From the Hill," Texas State President Denise M. Trauth said that the university topped 36,700 students last September. According to Trauth, Texas State is the fourth-largest university in the state of Texas and is growing even closer to becoming a National Research University. In September, several organizations generously donated a total of $10 million to the university in order to compensate for the increase in enrollment.

Many Texas State students like the overall growth of the university.  Freshman Leanne Halliburton said that it's always good to have a bigger alumni network and donor base.

"(Texas State has) that small town feel, but there's plenty to do with Austin and San Antonio nearby," Halliburton said.

While the rising enrollment rates ultimately benefit the university, San Marcos natives remain hesitant.  Junior and public relations student, Stephanie Dibert, said that her friends "absolutely hate that San Marcos is expanding due to the increase in population."

"They (San Marcos-natives) believe that San Marcos has turned into a city run by 20-year-olds," Dibert said.

In order to accommodate the rising enrollment rates, the city of San Marcos is building additional apartment complexes. Many students are concerned with the potentially harmful effects these developments will have on the city of San Marcos. Dibert said that the new apartment complex called the Woods will specifically increase San Marcos river pollution since it is built very close to the river.

Construction on North LBJ Drive Photo By: Sarah Bey

"While it (the school) grows, it can't be something that reactive; it's got to be proactive," 21-year-old Caleb Davis said.

Many students and faculty are also concerned with parking and traffic. Lubbock-native, Darbie Walker said that San Marcos plans to build an overpass the bypass the train tracks.

"I think we have our own little slice of heaven here except for all of the darn construction," Walker said.

Another concern students have is that the atmosphere on campus will become less intimate. Psychology major Elisa Alvarado said that she had passed on the opportunity to attend the University of Texas at Austin because she didn't want to be just another number and be lost in the mix.  Along with Alvarado, Dibert is also concerned that the classroom setting will not be as intimate with the increase in students.

While the increase in enrollment rates may cause detrimental effects to San Marcos, students and faculty remain positive on the issue.

Students reflect on campus growth

By: Kiersten Ehr

The rising star legacy at Texas State University has surpassed expectations with student enrollment sky rocking in San Marcos. 

Student enrollment in the fall of 2014 ranked at 36,790. This is the 17th consecutive year Texas State has set a new record for total enrollment. Texas State is proud to set diversity as a priority in the campus life with 46% of minorities. 

The Texas State website Enrollment Management and Marketing shows the campus student population diversity shows the percentage of the following ethnic background to name a few, 18,983 White, 11,606 Hispanic/Latino, 3,372 African Americans, 819 Asian and 722 multiracial. 

Jenah Stephenson

According to a Texas State Press release, Texas State University President Denise Trauth, released a statement following the campuses growth, "we take our role seriously in preparing our state's future leader and workforce, and this steady growth tells us that students and their parents feel the same way." 

With the enrollment growth at Texas State, sophomore, Jenah Stephenson majoring in Communication Studies, thinks that the campus should continue to grow allowing students from in and out of Texas better opportunities at Texas State.

“It’s made me more proud of my school. It shows we are a really good institution. More people want to come here each year. I think San Marcos will keep it humble instead of being like UT because it is a big city. I like the fact that the school was a small school, and I love watching it expand,” said Stephenson. 

With the massive growth on the Texas State campus, construction and parking has created issues for students commuting on a daily basis. Students comment on how the effects impact their daily school routine. 

“It made parking way too expensive. It made traffic in the small town of San Marcos way too unbearable. It made resources at the school limited, like the rec, you can’t go at certain times because there will be no machines,” said junior Candice Jackson. "Up side, San Marcos is growing massively. The income is exceeding the demand."

The rapid growth has created new walking routes in front of Commons Dining Hall and has increased traffic flow around LBJ ultimately creating an effect on students. 

“I’d say the enormous amount of construction on campus, though I know it’s all apart of the growing population. If it were me and I had seen all that before enrolling, I’d be turned off by that and not want to be at a university that is incomplete,” said Joshua Hinojosa, a junior international relations major. 

Students point on the parallelism for more construction will compensate for the rapid increase of enrollment, but overall the construction will be good for the university and for the future of Texas State.

 Josh Mitchell

"I think the expansion of the campus and beautification of the campus that is happening right now will generally attack more students, but I think the university is beginning to forget is that a lot of people that are here now came here because it felt small," said Josh Mitchell, a senior on the Student Government Academic Affairs Chair Committee.  

Some students feel the enrollment increase will help for academic and athletic national recommendation and will promote the awareness for diversity. 

“This is a strength, and adds diversity for students, faculty, staff and the organizations that will come with a students of different back grounds and foster more understanding of different cultures,” junior Amy Bender said.   
 "Our growth is a positive reflection on all aspects of campus life.