Enrollment ballooning at community colleges

BANGOR – Students are flocking to the Maine Community College System.

MCCS President John Fitzsimmons announced Wednesday that enrollment has grown 48 percent – to a record 11,153 students – since the Legislature changed the name and mission of the former technical colleges four years ago.

As a result, 3,635 more students are seeking degrees at one of the seven community colleges than in 2002 – the year before the system was established.

“Our community colleges have more than lived up to their potential,” Gov. John Baldacci said in a news release.

Systemwide, enrollment grew by 4.4 percent this fall. In Bangor, Eastern Maine Community College grew by 2.8 percent, from 1,458 students to 1,499.

The college is close to capacity, according to EMCC President Joyce Hedlund. “We are realizing the vision of truly being a community resource,” she said in a phone interview Wednesday.

EMCC programs that have experienced a surge in enrollment include automotive technology, nursing, early childhood education and culinary arts, she said.

The community college system also is experiencing an increase in students enrolling directly from high school, officials noted.

That number has jumped by 75 percent since 2003 when the system was created. This year, 15 percent more of these traditional students entered the community colleges for a total of 2,162.

The increase was largely spurred by the Early College for ME program, which targets high school students who have the academic potential to succeed in college but who may not have considered enrolling.

This year, 41 percent of the increased number of high school students enrolling directly in one of the community colleges were Early College for ME participants.

The program “demystifies college for high school students who may not have considered themselves college material,” said Hedlund. “When you’re in a small class in a caring environment like that of a community college, it can be a very positive experience.”

Also helping to increase the number of traditional students at the colleges are the name change to “community college,” the expansion of liberal studies programs and additional transfer agreements with four-year colleges.

“We’re seeing more and more people coming into our technology programs and saying the next step is a four-year program,” Hedlund said.

This fall, Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield experienced the largest enrollment jump with an increase of 8.6 percent to 1,429 degree-seeking students. Southern Maine Community College in South Portland saw a 6.8 percent increase to 4,690 students.

Enrollment at Central Maine Community College in Auburn rose 4.3 percent to 1,714 degree students, while York County Community College in Wells saw a 3.6 percent increase to 694 students.

Not all campuses experienced an influx. Enrollment at Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle declined by 1.5 percent to 794 students, although enrollment in the incoming class shows an increase over last year’s entering class. The number of students at Washington County Community College in Calais declined by 15 percent to 333 students, in part because of a decrease in the number of dislocated workers seeking retraining.

Joining Fitzsimmons during a news conference after a board of trustees meeting at CMCC, Baldacci called the system “one of Maine’s real success stories.

“The goal is to continue to build on that success,” said the governor, who led efforts to create the community colleges.

“Their programs represent the heart of the Maine economy and the best hope for the future of Maine people,” he said.

But despite the system’s continued growth, financial constraints have begun to slow enrollment increases, Fitzsimmons said in the news release. Some programs have been forced to establish lengthy waiting lists for admission.

Without additional state investment, the system will have to cap enrollment next fall, he said. Adding faculty and staff, as well as updating and expanding college facilities, are the major challenges before the system.

“I am enormously proud of the work of our faculty and staff to serve 48 percent more students with only a 10 percent increase in state funding,” he said.

At EMCC, teachers are accommodating students by adding new sections of classes, Hedlund said.

“There’s a feeling among faculty that we need to provide access,” she said. “So there’s been a willingness to figure out how to stretch the resources.”