For students applying to UB for a selective program like architecture, nursing or pharmacy, reforms under discussion in the admissions process may better ensure that those accepted to the university end up in their desired fields.
In the past, large numbers of students have been accepted into programs based on admissions rates rather than a set quota. For instance, last fall alone, 352 freshmen entered UB as intended pharmacy majors, but each year there are only 115 students from the entire undergrad population admitted into the school's main PharmD program.
With such overcrowding, officials are looking for a way to maintain acceptance numbers out of high schools while reforming intensive program recruiting. Many faculty members say they feel too many students are recruited for intensive programs, and as a result, this influx of students negatively impacts everyone else in the classes.
At Wednesday's Faculty Senate Executive Committee meeting, faculty and admissions officials voiced initiatives as well as academic concerns for current students. Any changes, however, are still in their early stages.
Last year, only 32 percent of applicants who were accepted to the university ultimately enrolled, and because each year a significant number of applicants decline their offered acceptances, UB is forced to send out more acceptance letters than some programs can actually hold in order to break even.
"Admittance yield is fairly stable with only gradual growth," said Michael Ryan, vice provost for Undergraduate Education. "The number of acceptances is reliably within limits and I'm astounded that we consistently hit these target numbers."
Barbara Rooney, associate director of the Office of Admissions, also said there are safeguards to help prevent a freshman flood if the acceptance percentage skyrockets.
"We make use of waitlists to control acceptance yield, that way we can control most of the flow of acceptances," Rooney said.
Although admission officials are confident that a target number of students will enter each year, programs like pharmacy are in danger of overcrowding.
Pharmacy is a major that requires later acceptance into the program, so even if a student entered UB as an intended pharmacy major and took the required prerequisites, it does not secure a position in the program. Only a select number of students can continue in the program, leaving many other students searching for an alternative major.
"Courses that are prerequisites of pharmacy are bombarded by hundreds of students that in the end will not be accepted into the program," said Gayle Brazeau, associate dean of Academic Affairs for the School of Pharmacy. "Everyone and their neighbor wants to take these courses, but in the end all it does is leave stranded students and packed lecture halls."
Many students, like Laura Vanerden, a freshman business administration major, said a continued increase in lecture hall size would adversely affect her learning at UB.
"Many lecture halls already feel like they are overbooked. I couldn't possibly imagine an increase in students. I have had classes that on some days if you're late, there aren't any seats," Vanerden said.
Officials said they understand the need for a selection mechanism that would prevent overcrowding in a specific intensive program, and this concern is a priority for reform.
Better communication during the recruiting process was one of the possible solutions discussed. If students are made aware that enrollment into UB does not secure enrollment into intensive programs, then this problem could be alleviated.
"Communication is critically important and we are trying to be more clear to prospective students of intensive programs. We need to safeguard these scholars' well being," Ryan said.
Although some possible solutions were discussed at the meeting, most of the assessments and reform are in the preliminary stages.
"There is no simple solution. We need communication improvements, but the problem, as of right now, is acute, only affecting a few programs," Ryan said. "It is a problem though, and we will need a sustained long-term commitment to fix it."
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
