Graduating workers cause FVCC enrollment dip

Flathead Valley Community College enrollment has declined 7.7 percent from spring semester 2011, but much of the slide was from displaced workers trained with federalTrade Adjustment Act dollars finishing their studies.

When adjusted by removing that enrollment bump, the college’s full-time-equivalent numbers declined just 1.6 percent compared to a year ago.

Brad Eldredge, executive director of Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning, provided the report to the board of trustees at their regular February meeting on Tuesday.

Eldredge pointed out that the total head count of students, 2,773, declined by just 68, a drop of 2.4 percent. This indicates that students have enrolled in fewer courses than last spring, causing the full-time-equivalent decline. The college currently has 1,720 full-time-equivalent students compared to 1,863 a year ago.

According to Eldredge, each displaced worker with studies paid through the Trade Adjustment Act was required to take a full load of courses. He said a big increase in high school students enrolling in courses through Running Start helped boost enrollment along with an jump of 29 out-of-state students over spring of 2011.

College President Jane Karas said that this spring’s numbers represent a 30 percent enrollment increase from the time before the economic downturn, when student numbers historically increase. Money made available for training displaced workers magnified that

“So we’re still doing really well,” Karas said. “It was a natural adjustment after what we went through.”

Just prior to the enrollment report, trustees heard a marketing update by Tara Roth, director of communications and marketing, and Katie Fries, coordinator of marketing and public relations. Roth said having Fries on board had helped the department expand, calling her a tremendous asset whose fresh ideas and energy helped “take the college to the next level.”

Roth reported on the results of a 92-student survey that found a majority learned about the college from a teacher or high school counselor. She said this was improvement over former surveys where a majority of students said they found out about the college by driving by the campus.

“We have made getting into high schools a priority,” she said.

Roth said Fries was working to strengthen the college’s historically good relationships with local media.

Other marketing initiatives have included social media and new branding through the new logo introduced last spring and the new website launched this fall.

“It’s been very effective,” Roth said.

According to Roth, the college has made certain programs such as the culinary arts program a priority for marketing attention.

She said the high quality instructors and hands-on experience in catering and the Chef’s Table make for diverse career opportunities for students at a much lower price than many other culinary programs. Fries said this program compares favorably with nationally known institutes which charge upwards of $40,000.

For marketing purposes, they have proposed renaming the program The Culinary Institute of Montana at Flathead Valley Community College, along with a new logo. They have planned recruitment tours at seven high schools which have a culinary training track for students.

She added that the program has attracted out-of-state students and that they hope to attract more.

The board of trustees on Tuesday also approved a resolution setting a trustee election for May 8 to fill two board positions. One represents the Flathead/Glacier high school district now held by Ralene Sliter and the other represents Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Bigfork school districts held by Tom McElwain.