MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — The University of Montana is developing an early retirement program as part of an effort to balance its budget amid declining enrollment.

Interim President Sheila Stearns said she hopes to have the details available to present to campus faculty and staff by early next month.

The Missoulian reports (http://bit.ly/2mYrhDN ) Stearns made her comments Friday during a news conference in which she addressed spring enrollment and related budget questions. Enrollment fell 5.4 percent from spring 2016 to spring 2017, but the head count of 11,615 students is more than the 11,000 Stearns had anticipated. She'd like to see enrollment increase to over 13,000 students by fall 2020.

Stearns again noted that personnel account for about 80 percent of UM's budget and the figure needs to be closer to 70 percent.

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Information from: Missoulian, http://www.missoulian.com