For the fifth consecutive year, NIU enrollment has increased, leading officials to reevaluate admission criteria and campus accommodations.

NIU enrollment increased by 535 students this fall, according to figures released by the Department of Public Affairs.

Total enrollment stands at 23,783, which is a 2.5 percent increase from last year. Undergraduate numbers increased by 317 to a total of 17,468, and graduate numbers went up by 212 to a total of 6,012. The additional 303 students are part of the law program, which increased by six this year.

During the last two years, enrollment has increased by 1,000 students.

In his annual university address, President John Peters said that although he’s pleased to see the demand for the NIU experience, the campus is approaching capacity.

Provost J. Ivan Legg cited employment as one reason for increased enrollment.

“Employment may be not quite as strong,” Legg said. “When that happens, more people will end up coming back to school.”

Though the overall number of students has increased, certain departments have felt more of the impact.

Some of those departments include education, business, accounting and finance, computer technology and computer science. The department of communication also has a high demand.

If enrollment exceeds 24,000 students, NIU will have to watch carefully, Legg said.

“We have to look at enrollment, so we can meet demands, such as dorm space,” Legg said.

NIU hasn’t reached the point of putting caps on enrollment. But revising admission standards and charging an application fee are a few of the considerations on the table, associate intern provost Robert Wheeler said.

“[President Peters] was thinking about adding the application fee since last spring,” Wheeler said. “If we do decide to have one, it’ll start with the 2003 freshmen.”

Even with enrollment growth, space doesn’t seem to be a concern, Legg said.

“We have the space and the resources for everyone,” he said. “The most critical area is the amount of teachers. There is a high demand in areas like science and math.”