East Tennessee State University told its Board of Trustees on Monday that the university enrolled more than 2,200 first‑year students this fall — the largest incoming freshman class in ETSU history — and that overall campus enrollment rose by more than 300 students.

The university’s enrollment presenters said rising demand has pushed on‑campus residency to more than 3,300 students and that residence halls are at or near full capacity. To relieve short‑term pressure, ETSU plans to convert Yokely Hall back to student housing by spring and pursue lease partnerships with nearby off‑campus housing providers; a formal plan and fiscal proposal for construction of a new residence hall will be brought to the board in November.

The record freshman class and overall gains were highlighted in an update on the university’s 2025–2030 strategic enrollment management plan. The presentation said enrollment growth is part of a multi‑year strategy that sets an institutional goal of 15,500 students by 2030 and an institutional retention target of 85 percent from first year to second year. The trustees were told that ETSU’s current first‑to‑second‑year retention rate is about 76 percent and the institution’s six‑year graduation rate is about 55 percent.

Why it matters: Trustees and university leaders said the surge will affect campus capacity, student support services and capital planning. University leaders described short‑term measures already under way to place students and emphasized the need for sustained coordination across admissions, housing, student life and financial aid to maintain retention.

Most important facts
- Freshman class: more than 2,200 students (previous record 2,121).
- Overall enrollment: up by more than 300 students from fall 2024.
- On‑campus residency: more than 3,300 students living in university residence halls.
- Retention: current rate ~76%; board and staff goal 85% first year to second year.
- Six‑year graduation rate: ~55%; institutional goal 60%.
- Short‑term housing actions: convert Yokely Hall to residence use by spring; negotiate off‑campus leases for upper‑class students; move the last 40 students out of Echo Suites onto campus in coming weeks.
- Long‑term: board will receive a construction and fiscal plan for a new residence hall in November.

Supporting details and context
University presenters credited expanded recruiting outreach (noting growth from out‑of‑state markets including North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia), targeted marketing and coordinated admissions and communications work for driving the increase. The presenters said the university has added roughly 400 residence beds in recent years by converting doubles to triples and other room reconfigurations and that on‑campus occupancy rose about 90 percent since 2020.

Student support initiatives highlighted include the recently opened Mary V. Jordan Center, which the university described as a student success center focused on holistic support for low‑income and first‑generation students; ETSU plans to open a “one‑stop” service center called Buck Central next year to consolidate financial aid and billing assistance.

What trustees directed or will decide
The board did not take a formal vote on the enrollment plan during the meeting. Trustees were told a formal construction proposal and the associated fiscal plan for a new residence hall will be presented to the board in November for review and action.

Attribution
All direct quotations and program descriptions in this article come from the trustees’ meeting presentations and public remarks by Dr. Sherlund (co‑presenter of the strategic enrollment management plan), Dr. Nolan (president), Heather (associate vice president and executive director of admissions), Trustee Janet Ayers (Academic, Research and Student Success Committee chair) and Board Chair Segalton. (See provenance for transcript excerpts.)

Ending
Trustees praised staff for bringing the university to the new enrollment milestones and emphasized continued attention to retention and student support as housing and advising demand grows. ETSU leaders said they will return with detailed residence‑hall plans and a fiscal proposal in November.