College enrollment soars

FVCC student count increases 38 percent

Flathead Valley Community College broke records for enrollment this week, surpassing the previous high set in spring 2004.

Faith Hodges, director of enrollment planning and research, said that, as of Friday, enrollment had increased 38 percent over fall 2008.

The number of full-time equivalent students is 1,788.7, up from 1,287.2 a year ago.

The college's previous high for full-time equivalents was 1,529.8 in spring semester 2004.

Actual students enrolled as of Friday numbered 2,426. Hodges expects to surpass the spring 2004 overall student number by the time the college makes its third-week enrollment report on Sept. 21.

College officials predicted a healthy enrollment this fall based on summer-session numbers that jumped 48 percent compared to 2008 summer enrollment. Spring enrollment also grew by 18 percent compared to the same semester in 2008.

Hodges said she had no specific information about what is driving student growth. She called the increase "across the board" with more resident, out-of-district and out-of state students.

From people registering, she has heard many different stories including students taking classes at the community college to save money over the higher tuition charged for the same classes at four-year institutions.

Recently, the college has instituted several new programs in cooperation with other colleges and universities through which students may earn four-year degrees without leaving the Kalispell campus.

Hodges said she also has heard from people who signed up for more classes because they have few hours of employment.

According to Hodges, the college has scrambled to meet the demand for classes.

"The staff at educational services has been phenomenal in adding sections," she said. "Faculty and staff have been out measuring classrooms to see if they can add another chair or table."

Because of the demand, more students are having to rearrange their schedules this semester due to classes filling up.

Historically, the community college gains students during times of higher unemployment. The college has added courses as well as late-starting classes in previous semesters to accommodate dislocated workers from timber, construction and other economic sectors hit hard by the recession.

In 2004, a down economy also triggered boom times for education and retraining. Both the Kalispell and Lincoln County campuses gained students in 2004 from dislocated workers from Stream Inc., Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. and Stimson Lumber Co.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.