This semester, the university reached its ninth consecutive year of record enrollment with 7,877 students.

This marks an 8% increase from last year and a 48% increase over the last decade.

The exact breakdown of enrollment is:

•     Undergraduate students: 5,522
•     Graduate students: 2,355
•     Abilene campus: 3,631
•     Online programs:  4,246
•     International students: 217

Tamara Long, vice president for enrollment and student engagement, said the continued growth reflects careful planning and strategy around recruitment and student retention.

She said that when it comes to recruiting students, the university wants to have a clear plan to keep the growth manageable. She said the key is keeping the growth coming from places that align with the university’s goals as a faith-based institution.

“You can have a bunch of students apply that are not qualified to be students on our campus, that are not academically prepared or aren’t a good mission fit,” Long said. “I say it all the time: we are not for everyone.”

As the school continues to grow, she said, it is important that the university’s brand is honest and authentic to who the students are and what the education is.

She said if the branding was not honest, then the school could attract students who are not “mission-aligned” with the university’s desire to remain a faith-based institution.

Looking forward, she said ACU is planning to keep growing by continuing to add new degrees and programs, such as a hospitality management degree in the College of Business, which the school is currently exploring options.

“We are thinking very much about what are the programs we need to be offering that we are not offering today that are going to be required for us to achieve that growth goal,” said Long.

Although the university is focused on growth, President Phil Schubert said they are also focused on maintaining infrastructure to meet the needs of the school.

On-campus housing interest grew last year, influenced by data center development in Abilene. In response to this demand, the university opened Traditions Hall, allowing upperclassmen to stay in freshman and sophomore dorms and started construction on a new apartment building, which will open in January.

Schubert said the university is continuing to work to meet the housing needs of students.

“We’re seeing a significant increase in interest for housing on campus from juniors and seniors because they’re not able to find affordable options in an increasingly tight market for housing,” Schubert said. “So we’re in the process of adding three to 500 beds on campus over the next three to four years that would serve both freshman, sophomore, but also junior, senior students.”

Alongside the apartment building opening in January, Schubert said a 220- to 230-bed apartment is going across from Allen Ridge shopping center to help with housing for students.

Schubert also said his other concern, as student enrollment grows, is the campus center, which he said often becomes congested at 11:30 a.m. when Chapel ends.

He said that there are no plans in place to change the Bean or Chapel, but that moving Chapel times is an option as the university grows to keep the flow of traffic in the Bean low.

Both Schubert and Long addressed parking, which they said is regularly evaluated and tested to ensure there are enough parking spaces for students, faculty, staff and visitors.