School started this week at the University of Utah, in case it caught you off guard.

It is one of the earliest openings in school history, certainly in the modern era, although it still is not nearly as early as the date the institution was founded on Feb. 28, 1850 — the real First Day of School.

And the last time parking wasn't a problem.

Hoping to soak in this year's first day flavor, I strolled around campus to see what's up.

My report: not much.

The Utes are definitely easing into their 158th school year. This was evident at the booth in front of the Park Building where student body officers were welcoming students back to school by handing out free water bottles.

New Utes only warily took the water bottles once they realized they were (a) not part of a lifetime commitment to a cell phone company and (b) free.

Although technically they were not free, as Basim Motiwala, the 2007 student body vice president, explained.

"The cost actually comes out of student fees," he said, shrugging. "But we try to get as much as we can back into the students' hands."

Pay the school $2,500 for fall semester tuition and fees ... get back a water bottle.

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Motiwala — or "Boss," as everyone called him — was clearly enjoying himself as a First Day ambassador.

"What we're trying to accomplish, since we're basically a commuter campus, is to let people know that there's more to campus than just classrooms," he said. "And if there's anything I'd like to tell the freshmen it's to go to class and not be afraid."

I asked the Boss what year he is.

"I'm going to be a senior," he said and then, remembering what day it was, quickly corrected himself.

"Wait," he said, "I already am a senior."

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Sitting in his office in the Park Building, maybe a hundred yards from where the student body officers were handing out the water bottles, Paul Brinkman estimated that this year's student body enrollment "won't quite reach the high-water mark of 29,000 of two or three years ago."

Like Motiwala, Brinkman is a vice president, in his case associate vice president for budget and planning.

The job pays a lot better, but Brinkman has to work year round. And wear shoes and a tie.

Brinkman said he expects slightly more than 28,000 to enroll this year at the U. One of the reasons enrollment might be down, ironically, is the robust Utah economy.

"The big majority of our students work," he said, "and if they choose to work more hours because they can get good-paying jobs then that is a factor in how much school they might choose to take.

"And also," he added, "we're in an interesting demographic period where it appears that there's actually a small decline in the percentage of 18- to 29-year-olds. The next big boom (of high school graduates) is still five to six years off."

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The v.p. also made note of this year's 7 percent tuition increase.

"I'm sure that will have some impact (on enrollment)," he said.

The bottom line: Take the water bottles, go to class and do not be afraid.


Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.

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