On a recent Thursday afternoon, UC Riverside’s campus was bustling. Coffee shops and dining halls were packed, and students flocked to an art sale near the university’s 161-foot bell tower, the central landmark on the campus. Enrollment was flat this year at most University of California campuses, some of which lack the physical capacity to add students. Others wanted to increase enrollment but missed their targets. UC Riverside, however, was the exception. Enrollment at the Inland Empire campus is booming this school year. In the fall, Riverside welcomed 8,297 freshmen and transfers, its largest-ever entering group of students, made up almost entirely of Californians and 24% larger than the previous year. “There’s definitely a lot more activity now on the campus,” said Ro Zheng, a fourth-year student studying psychology. The growth was intentional for Riverside, which is expanding its capacity with more dorms and new academic buildings, including a 120,000-square-foot facility expected to open this year. The campus admitted 70,557 students last year, about 19,000 more than the previous year. But increased admissions don’t always translate into more enrollments. UC Merced, for example, significantly expanded its admitted student pool — from about 31,000 to 50,000 students — but its enrollment slightly decreased this fall. In UC Riverside’s case, officials say years of working to improve the campus’ reputation and its academic prestige have resulted in more demand from families and students. The UC system is relying on Riverside, one of the few campuses with physical space to grow, to continue…
