Enrollment at Schenectady County Community College has increased significantly this spring, up 6.5% overall as compared to last year.
“At a time when community colleges throughout the nation are facing declining enrollment numbers, I am proud SCCC is bucking that trend,” said Denise Murphy McGraw, Chairwoman of the SCCC Board of Trustees. “These numbers reflect the College’s tireless efforts to develop new programs and courses to help us meet the needs of area students and employers.”
The College has used strategic enrollment management to improve its services and offerings. The College’s Center City location opened in the fall with 61 courses offered. That expanded to 88 courses this spring with over 2200 course registrations there. SCCC has also expanded its “Late Start” course offerings, which start three weeks after traditional classes, growing from eight to 15 courses from fall to spring. Local employers are responding, as calls to the SCCC Career and Employment Services Office have increased, including, especially, Nanotechnology inquiries.
“More students are choosing SCCC as a first-choice college, and we are helping them make that choice easier by offering more in-demand courses at peak times, including nights and weekends, on our main campus and at satellite locations,” said Quintin Bullock, President of SCCC. “Students see us as a gateway to acquire modern skills for careers upon graduation or for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. We have adjusted our programming to be further aligned with their schedules and goals.”
A recent analysis by the American Association of Community Colleges and the National Student Clearinghouse indicates that enrollment levels at community colleges across the country have leveled off. However, SCCC’s enrollment continues to climb.
SCCC is well ahead of its enrollment projections, with 6.5% increases in the number of credits taken and Full-Time Equivalent students, the latter used to determine state-aid funding. While full-time enrollment is up 2.7%, the bulk of the increase is in part-time enrollment, which is 6.3%, not including the additional College in the High School students. Overall, there are 4.2% more students on campus compared to last spring. The transformative College in the High School program has increased by 250 students.
The numbers follow an approximately 2% rise in enrollment in Fall 2011, an increase that also exceeded expectations after historic flooding closed down the school for a week as classes were about to begin, and pushed SCCC past 7000 students for the first time in its history.
Community colleges across the country had been experiencing an enrollment boom with a record number of 18- to 24-year-olds attending community colleges in October 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The spike was attributed to the recession with more students entering college for job training, typical during an economic downturn. However, most community colleges have seen a leveling off of enrollment in recent years.
One of the 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system, the nation’s largest comprehensive system of higher education, Schenectady County Community College in upstate New York enrolls over 7,000 students. SCCC offers more than 40 career degree, transfer degree and certificate programs. The College opened its doors for classes in 1969 and continues to provide affordable comprehensive higher education and adult educational opportunities in response to local
educational needs. To learn more, visit www.sunysccc.edu.