PVCC Puma Press: April 2006

With seven of the 10 Maricopa Colleges facing actual declines in student enrollment, college officials across the District are seeking ways to recruit more learners to community college campuses.

According to the 2005 Maricopa Community College Indicators of Institutional Effectiveness Report, enrollment growth system-wide has fallen from a high of 8.9 percent in fall of 2002 to a low of 1.1 percent in fall 2005.“Each college is looking at its market and service area and is attempting to determine how to proceed in the future to increase enrollment. It is a concern and will be addressed,” says Linda Rosenthal, Maricopa Community College Governing Board member.

Recruiting and retaining students is key in the college environment. PVCC has been working hard in these areas according to Dr. Paul Dale, vice president of learning support services. The college has contacted 2000 new or non-returning students via phone or email in an effort to boost enrollment.

Increasing scheduling options may be another way to bring in more students. While we have a “great” choices plan of online, guided independent learning and flex classes, the sheer number of classes offered in that format may not be enough according to Dale. Eighty-five percent of the classes offered at PVCC are still in the traditional 16-week format. Non-traditional student enrollment accounted for the small growth experienced.

“What saved us was a slight growth in evening offerings this fall,” says Dale who explains there were not necessarily more evening students but those particular students chose to take more classes.

Another factor playing into community college enrollment is the number of available activities at the state universities, primarily ASU.

“Just a year ago, I had a feeling that the community colleges here in Maricopa would actually gain students because the universities had raised their tuition so much,” says Jim Patterson, senate faculty president-elect and CIS faculty. What was not anticipated was “the tremendous amount of financial aid” the university also pumped into the system.

“I am on record as supporting more financial aid at PVCC for truly deserving and high performing students,” says Patterson.

Despite falling growth, MCCD officials are convinced the supply of community colleges has not outpaced the demand for higher education.

“No, we haven’t built too many campuses,” says Rosenthal who has served on the MCCD Governing Board since 1979.

“Over the years enrollment has fluctuated with the status of the economy. When the unemployment rate is low as it is now and more people are working, they don’t come to college,” says Rosenthal. She adds it is a trend that will reverse when unemployment numbers rise.

“So-we’ll see an upturn again, I’m sure,” says Rosenthal.