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An estimated 5, 200 students arrived on campus in August — a substantial number but 300 fewer than last year’s freshman class, despite an 8 percent increase in applications. CU officials attributed the decrease, in part, to technical issues plaguing the university’s new student information system.

It forced admissions counselors to manually process applications, working nights and weekends. This delayed CU’s response to applicants, which irritated some who likely went elsewhere.

The university hit its enrollment record in 2008 with 5,833 students.

Faced with dwindling state dollars for higher education, regents raised tuition last spring for instate students by 9 percent. Resident tuition at CU-Boulder will on average climb from $6,446 last year to $7,018 in the 2010-11 fiscal year.

Nonresident tuition increased about $1,300 to just over $28,000 annually. The campus offers a fixed-tuition deal to nonresidents. Revenue from the tuition increase will help CU continue to deliver high-quality classroom instruction and student services in the face of declining state support.