It is a reassuring start to the fall semester at the State University of New York at Fredonia. Last week, the institution announced an uptick in new students — the largest in three years.

“We are pleased to see the increase in new students this year,” said Vice President for Enrollment Management and Services Kathryn Kendall. “Despite the ongoing challenges, such as demographic shifts, economic pressures on families, and the complexities introduced by changes to the FAFSA process, we are thrilled that so many students have chosen SUNY Fredonia for its strong academic programs and engaging campus environment.”

As noted by the university, on Aug. 15 there were 1,034 first-year, transfer, and new graduate students who were to join the community. The enrollment numbers for this fall include a 10% rise in first-year student enrollment compared to last year, while graduate enrollment has surged by an impressive 34% year-over-year.

During the last year, there has been a great deal of publicity regarding the plan to decrease 13 majors at the location. While some of that plan has been met with protest, the fiscal realities have been well documented in terms of deficits that are more than $10 million.

We’re not sure of the savings in program cuts, but we know that revenues will climb with new students. So far, so good.