College Sees Drop
ENROLLMENT DECREASE A FIRST FOR SCHOOL
Posted: September 6, 2012 at 4:31 a.m.
Alex Myers of Fayetteville, a NorthWest Arkansas Community College student, shops Wednesday for textbooks at the bookstore inside the Student Center on the Bentonville campus. Enrollment numbers for the college were released Wednesday, showing a small decrease.
NorthWest Arkansas Community College’s enrollment has decreased for the first time in its 22-year history.
By The Numbers
Enrollment
NorthWest Arkansas Community College’s enrollment has increased ove 10 years. Enrollment numbers from 2012 are unofficial.
- 2002: 4,731
- 2003: 4,915
- 2004: 5,266
- 2005: 5,467
- 2006: 5,732
- 2007: 6,470
- 2008: 7,216
- 2009: 8,006
- 2010: 8,365
- 2011: 8,528
- 2012: 8,418
Source: NorthWest Arkansas Community College
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Governor Beebe has stated that money at the state level is flat. If funds provided to colleges are flat as well, would that not mean if NWACC were to receive an equity adjustment higher than their current 50%, that other colleges in less affluent and more rural settings would receive less funding? Yes, there needs to be an equity adjustment, but not at the expense of other Arkansas students with less opportunities for education.
Does NWACC deserve to receive an equity adjustment under the current leadership? That is the bigger question.
Philanthropy has been provided quite generously to NWACC. There are scores of people who support NWACC, from small to enormous donations. Now they will be asked to dig deeper to further support students because this institution has been fiscally mismanaged for years.
A pretty famous native son stated this last night, "...we left him a total mess, he hasn't cleaned it up fast enough, so fire him and put us back in." Different topic obviously, but the quote sure resonated to the situation at NWACC. Who is the expert that will be guiding NWACC through difficult financial and administrative cuts? That's right, NWACC does not have one. He was fired seemingly only for unearthing an historical wealth of poor management decisions. Becky Paneitz remains in total control. The Board of Trustees recently confirmed they remain out of the day-to-day business of NWACC. The Trustees adhere to a policy governance model, that and nothing more. Taxpayers need to remember that.
How many more times does this college leadership get to cry help!, it's not me, not my fault, there are other circumstances at play?
Posted by: SoJami
September 6, 2012 at 9:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Wow! You got the Clinton quote wrong and took it out of context. I suppose the fact that your other assertions are off the mark should not be surprising. NWACC has been underfunded compared to other two-year state institutions for years. There have been some financial missteps at the college - that's true. Still, the forner-CFO should not be viewed as an innocent martyr as he has been portrayed by his friends, including some in the media, and Paneitz-haters. Remember, he gave himself a whopping raise not too long ago, which in your estimation was taking food out of the mouths of NWACC students. If I were in charge, I would have fired him for allegedly not knowing when the budget was due to the state! That misstep doesn't even include estimations of deficits one day, a surplus the next, then back to deficits. When you know not what you speak, don't talk.
Posted by: Universal
September 6, 2012 at 11:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
The quote is verbatim, look it up. I stated it was for a different topic but the "message" resonated to the situation at NWACC.
Might want to fact check how raises occur at NWACC.
Another fact check, the former CFO never stated to the media that there would be a budget surplus. That was in fact Paneitz who did sang the surplus-deficit-surplus-deficit dance.
This isn't about fan base, it is about lack of fiscal responsibility. And how that speaks to credibility with the state when lobbying for funding equity.
Some actually DO research before we comment.
Posted by: SoJami
September 6, 2012 at 12:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
When you are fiscally responsible, your job is to question all decisions related to finances. It is difficult to submit a budget when you are trying to uncover and correct over 10 years of mis-management. It is really not unusual for a budget to be delayed due to many factors - current contract negotiations, spending trends, grants, etc. I am not a Paneitz hater. I am a responsible taxpayer who believes that better education opportunities enhance my community and increases the amount of workforce in our area. I am a small business owner who relies on the income of the area to keep my doors open. The college is losing students because of many factors - some, I agree are out of their control. However, the public image of the college centers around the President and her leadership - this will be a fact until she is gone. Right now, that doesn't resoninate with sound decision making or concern for the students - it reeks of control and how to maintain it. Low morale doesn't begin with a less than 2 year term CFO. Discontent comes from long term mistreatment and disrespect. It is a fact - all of these people from the President to the Board - answer to all of the taxpayers of the state. We can and will demand transparency and that starts with explaining why CFO's seem to be part of a revolving door and why there is no documentation to support any of her claims and no one else was included in the process of his termination. Again, not a good showing of sound judgement and leadership. Most anyone would not subject themselves to negative publicity or a process that is costly and time consuming unless they truly believe an injustice occurred. I believe we have seen Mr. Parsons be completely honest about his position and the current state of the affairs at the college on many occasions to the public. There is no evidence to support that he would make something up now.
Posted by: katwilldan
September 6, 2012 at 3:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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