Riverland enrollment near record numbers

Published 7:00 am Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Riverland Community College is seeing the flip side of the recession — officials are expecting record-setting enrollment this semester, with many students on waiting lists and online course registration high.

President Terry Leas calls it the “counter-cyclical nature of community colleges during recessions.”

“It’s a good problem to have, because you don’t want to see so many dislocated workers,” he said. “We’re seeing the effects of the economy, so people will try to work if they can and go to school if they can. We have some that have bachelor degrees and are working, but are coming here to do nursing or radiography.”

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Fall semester classes began Monday. Although the college won’t have concrete enrollment numbers for about a month, Leas said the head count thus far is 2,609, up 51.5 percent from this time last year. The number of full-time equivalent students is up 18.8 percent.

Leas believes that people are becoming smarter about their futures, whether it’s to keep jobs, advance careers or change fields.

“I think we are starting to see something encouraging about people that are starting to get really proactive about their careers and their futures,” he said, adding, “The best time to get ready for another job is while you have one.”

Riverland’s fastest sector of growth has been in online courses, particularly over the summer, when transient students leave after the regular academic year has concluded. The college offers 90 courses, from payroll accounting to pharmacy math to meeting management. About half of Riverland’s students are enrolled in online courses, Leas said.

Thirteen of the colleges programs are full: accounting, auto service technology, business, construction electrician, construction, diesel technology, industrial maintenance and mechanics, law enforcement, nursing, pharmacy technology, radiography, wind turbine technology (with a waiting list of 60-75) and welding.

Other programs with big increases in enrollment include truck driving, emergency medical services and massage therapy; 150 Riverland classes were filled to capacity as of Tuesday.

Although demand is high for classes — wind turbine technology, in particular — Leas said the college is not opening more sections, which will ensure students will be able to get jobs.

“It’s really tempting for us to want to open new sections,” he said. “We just don’t think that’s a very good ethical approach. We are working with our advisory programs to make sure we are preparing our students for job markets that are open.”

Riverland has also streamlined the class registration process with its online Easy Enrollment, which includes financial aid, academic advising and more, decreasing the time it takes to register to less than three hours.

“At one point, our director of admissions said we were processing a new student every six and half minutes,” Leas said.

Although enrollment numbers may be the highest it’s ever been, it is a difficult time for Riverland. Like many community colleges, they are forced to deal with more and more students and fewer and fewer staff and resources.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system alone has had $70 million cut through unallotments by Gov. Tim Pawlenty — $20 million late last year and another $50 million in June.

“It’s really high stress,” Leas said. “Our faculty and staff are doing a really tremendous job.” The unallotments of $1 million over the next biennium, however, are not hitting Riverland immediately.

“You are in a position where you are exploding with growth, and you are actually trying to cut expenses,” Leas explained. “We are trying to figure out ways we can keep our personnel. We know we are going to need our staff and faculty.”

Leas said despite the financial challenges, he is still excited to see parking lots full.

“So far, everything’s gotten off to a really good start,” he said.