College enrollment dips sharply

Flathead Valley Community College spring enrollment numbers show a sharp drop from the record spring 2004 semester.

The Kalispell campus has the equivalent of 1,158 full-time students and the Lincoln County Campus has 95, according to Faith Hodges, director of enrollment, planning and research.

That total of 1,253 is 241 lower than at the same time a year ago.

The 2004 numbers has soared because workers laid off from major companies had enrolled in retraining programs at the college.

The January 2005 enrollment is more comparable to spring 2003, according to Hodges.

Compared to 2003, the Kalispell campus is up 13 full-time equivalent spots while the Libby campus has declined by 59.

Hodges stressed these numbers were preliminary until Feb. 2 when the state collects official enrollment numbers. Late-starting classes such as online courses continue to pump up enrollment throughout the semester.

Some bright spots in Hodges' report showed a healthy increase in high school students taking advantage of the Running Start program by taking college classes on the Kalispell campus.

Senior institute enrollment rose from 99 in spring 2003 to 133 this spring. Participation in distance education brought in 53 full-time equivalents, up from 12.