Southeast Missouri State University plans to open a St. Louis office to recruit more students from that area.

University president Dr. Dale Nitzschke announced plans for the office at a meeting with reporters Friday afternoon at his campus home.

"That is a very important population base for us,' he said.

The office is expected to open next month in donated office space. The university is still working to staff the office.

Less than 1,000 students from St. Louis city and county attended Southeast last fall. Those students made up only about an eighth of the total student body.

As recently as 1992, nearly 1,200 students from that area were enrolled at Southeast, university records show.

Total student enrollment is expected to be around last year's level. Some 8,200 students were enrolled a year ago.

School officials said they won't have an exact headcount for the fall 1997 semester until next week. Classes begin Monday at the Cape Girardeau school.

Nitzschke and other Southeast officials talked about the start of the 1997-98 school year Friday the annual Media Day.

Nitzschke said Southeast's enrollment has been erratic in recent years.

As part of the effort to boost enrollment, Southeast plans to recruit more international students, he said.

The university also plans to centralize and improve its continuing education programs. Nitzschke wants Southeast to offer specialized training programs to meet the continuing education needs of various professions and industries.

Nitzschke said the university would continue to pursue efforts to develop a fine and performing arts center.

Provost Dr. Charles Kupchella said Southeast plans to open the Sikeston Area Higher Education Center during the school year.

The state recently included $1.5 million in the budget for development of the center.

Kupchella said the university would continue to develop its education centers at Malden and Perryville.

The university also plans to work on development of a polytechnic institute that would incorporate the industrial technology program.

The university continues to plan for a new technology center in hopes of securing state funding to build it.

Computers have become an integral part of education at Southeast. The university has provided ever-expanding computer services to students, officials said.

In 1993, no personal computers at Southeast were hooked up to the Internet.

Today, the university has a fiber optics system across campus. The school has hooked up 1,500 PCs and printers to the Internet, said Dr. Ken Dobbins, executive vice president.

The school has several computer labs, including one at Dempster Hall.

Dobbins said the university plans to keep the Dempster Hall lab open as late as 2 a.m. this semester. Ultimately, the lab may be open 24 hours a day, he said.

J. Wayne Davenport, vice president of university advancement, said the school would begin a low-key capital campaign in conjunction with the 125th anniversary of the institution in 1998.

Southeast also plans to boost fund raising efforts for the athletic department, he said.

The school wants to reach out to its thousands of alumni in its fund-raising efforts, Davenport said.