Enrollment up 12.5% from last fall
By April Biswell
Enrollment is up 12.5% this semester. The current headcount is 4,126 compared to last fall’s headcount of 3,666.
The total credit hours that students are enrolled in this fall is 35,109. Last fall students were enrolled in 32,753 credit hours. This is 7.1% increase.
The majority of students attend day classes and are enrolled part - time. The day headcount is up 14% and general part - time enrollment is up 16%.
Dr. Harriet Custer, Vice President of Academic Affairs, explained that enrollment is up for a number of reasons.
"The college increased its advertisement this semester," Custer said. "This played a large role in enrollment growth. We expanded the number of advertisements for evening classes and we also republished the Fall schedule."
Schedules were mailed twice, once in April and again in early August.
"By publishing the schedules twice the community was made more aware of what wonderful things the college has to offer," Custer said.
Another reason for the unexpected rise is the changing habits of individuals.
"More people are working nights which enables them to enroll in more classes during the day," Custer stated.
If enrollment continues to increase there may be a shortage of classrooms, which was a small issue this semester, and a lack of qualified part - time instructors available, Custer said.
"The college is just beginning to address these problems and formulate a plan of action in case of another growth," she said. "The college will be looking at these issues in the month or two."
Although the campus may be a little crowded, the enrollment increase reflexes the communities’ opinion of IVCC, according to the vice president.
"If we continue to do our job correctly, enrollment will continue to increase," Custer concluded.