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Enrollment Increases Again Spring
Semester
Officials at Northeast Alabama Community College again are
reporting a substantial enrollment increase for the college for
Spring Semester 2010. Indeed, the number of students enrolled at
the college increased by twenty-one percent of the number
enrolled a year ago, and students are taking twenty-five percent
more credit hours.
“It is gratifying to us that more and more people are coming to
Northeast for our educational services, whether it is for
academic transfer programs or career or job training
opportunities,” stated NACC President Dr. David Campbell.
Enrollment increases are nothing new for the college. In fact,
Northeast enrollment has doubled since 2000, increasing from
1,659 students in the Fall Semester of 2000 to 3,371 in the
Fall Semester of 2009. Community College Week recently
recognized Northeast as one of the fastest growing community
colleges in the United States, based on data for the 2007-2008
academic year. “Actually, our enrollment for 2009-2010 is
considerably larger than for the year we were recognized,”
stated Dr. Joe Burke, NACC Vice President and Dean of
Instruction. “Where we fall in the national ratings for this
year will depend on enrollment patterns nationally, but as for
Northeast, we are well ahead of the enrollment increases that
have occurred the past two years.”
College officials attribute the enrollment gains to not only
economic trends that have sent Americans back to school for job
training and retraining, but also to the college’s expansion of
its curriculum, the addition of new programs, and greater
promotions and marketing. In addition to these, partnerships
with local schools systems for dual enrollment, utilization of
more online courses and educational technology, more recognition
of the quality of education offered at the college, more
financial aid services, and expanded recruiting through
activities and events on campus are also reasons why NACC
continues to grow.
“Much of this success comes down to just hard work on the part
of staff and faculty,” Campbell added. “They do whatever it
takes to accommodate our enrollment increases, all the while
maintaining excellent education and student services. We strive
to be student friendly here at Northeast and treat everyone with
professional courtesy.” Campbell noted that the enrollment gains
have come at a time when education funds have been slashed at
the state level due to the economic downturn. “Our people are
truly doing more with less,” Campbell added.
The growth of the college not only has provided more educational
services to the area, but has made Northeast even a stronger
force in the local economy. According to Dean Larry Guffey, NACC
Dean of Administrative Services, some 450 people were on the
Northeast payroll for the 2009 fiscal year, generating 11
million dollars in salaries and benefits. Another 5.5 million
was awarded in Pell grants to area students through the college’
Financial Aid Office and approximately one million was awarded
through institutional scholarships. The past fiscal year, the
college also spent 2.25 million with vendors and another three
fourth million on utilities. “Our salaries and expenditures go
into the local economy and have a multiplier effect throughout
our area,” Campbell noted. “We tend to focus on the educational
opportunities that the college provides, and that is as it
should be. However, another dimension to this is just how
important a college like Northeast can be in stimulating the
economy of an area.” In addition to serving as NACC President,
Campbell also is chair of the local Jackson County Economic
Development Agency.
For more information about Northeast, visit the college’s web
page at www.nacc.edu. |
