BENTONVILLE -- The number of students attending Northwest Arkansas Community College is down nearly 2.5 percent from this time last year, the third time in the last four fall semesters enrollment has dropped.
College officials reported 7,962 students Tuesday, a drop of 202 from last fall. The number of credit hours being taken is 70,074, a decrease of 3,590 credit hours -- about 4.9 percent -- from last year.
Enrollment
Northwest Arkansas Community College’s enrollment on the 11th day of classes for the past five fall semesters.
YearEnrollmentPercent change from previous fall
20118,6482.2
20128,418-2.7
20138,102-3.8
20148,1640.8
20157,962-2.5
Source: Staff report
Officials had projected declines of 3 percent in both enrollment and credit hours taken when they crafted the budget for the 2015-16 school year.
The larger-than-expected decrease in credit hours means the college will have to adjust the budget somehow, said Steven Hinds, executive director of public relations and marketing.
"The cabinet will be looking at the budget and be mindful of taxpayer dollars and how best to move forward in terms of what types of adjustments we'll need to make," Hinds said.
Tuesday was the college's 11th day of classes this semester. Eleventh-day numbers are used by the state to compare enrollment from year to year. The numbers are unofficial; official 11th-day numbers provided to the state Department of Higher Education in mid-October will not include students who may be auditing a class or who are enrolled in "late-start" classes that begin after the traditional 16-week term kicks off, according to a college news release.
The college's enrollment hit an all-time high of 8,648 in fall 2011. Tuesday's enrollment represents a 7.9 percent drop from the 2011 figure. College officials have attributed the enrollment slide over the past few years in part to an improved economy.
"Community college enrollments tend to be the opposite of the economy. When unemployment rates are low, people have more opportunities in the workforce and tend to take fewer courses like those offered by community colleges," Hinds said.
The trend matches one seen in two-year colleges as a whole nationwide. Last spring, enrollment in U.S. two-year public institutions was down nearly 4 percent from the previous spring, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
NWACC officials were optimistic because Tuesday's enrollment beat initial projections.
"I want to express my appreciation to the college community for working hard to attract, recruit and serve our students," Evelyn Jorgenson, college president, was quoted as saying in the news release.
Officials also noted growth in the Early College Experience program, which draws high school students to take college classes concurrently. Enrollment in that program is now at 1,131 students, up 11 percent from last year.
The college also showed a 4.5 percent increase in the number of sections of online classes being offered, from 261 last fall to 273 this fall.
Ric Clifford, chairman of the college's board, said he was glad to hear enrollment was higher than projected.
He added the college needs to fully understand the ramifications of the decrease in credit hours. He said he wonders whether the hours shortfall is offset by the success of the not-for-credit programs the college runs, such as the certified retail analyst program.
"I don't have the answer to that," he said. "That's something we need to sort out over the next 30 to 40 days."
The board's next meeting is Monday.
NW News on 09/09/2015