ASU’s belt-tightening moves could bring more than 800 additional students to downtown Phoenix.

This week, Arizona State University announced that it plans to move the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice as well as the Department of Recreation and Tourism Management  from the West campus to Phoenix. That could happen as early as the 2009-2010 academic year, Virgil Renzulli, vice president of public affairs, has said.

In Spring 2008 those program had nearly 820 students, said Stephen Des Georges, ASU spokesman.

By the time those programs move downtown, they could be even bigger. University officials say that the two divisions are projected to have more than 980 students this fall.

Concrete fall enrollment numbers, however,  won’t be available until the end of September.

City leaders have pumped millions into the ASU downtown Phoenix campus over the past three years. The campus, which is projected to have 15,000 students by 2020, is a key part of long term Phoenix  plans to revitalize the heart of the city.