NorthWest Arkansas Community College seeing more Hispanic students

BENTONVILLE -- Northwest Arkansas Community College saw a 17 percent increase in its enrollment of Hispanic students last semester, despite the fact overall enrollment rose by only 1 percent.

"The student population continues to diversify," said Todd Kitchen, college vice president for learner support services, during a board retreat meeting Friday.

At A Glance

Celebrations

Northwest Arkansas Community College is making plans on how to celebrate its 25th anniversary this year, said Evelyn Jorgenson, college president. A committee is developing those plans. The college was established after voters in the Bentonville and Rogers school districts approved a 3-mill property tax. It opened in August 1990 with 1,200 students. More than 8,000 students are enrolled in for-credit classes at the college today.

Source: Staff Report

Hispanics make up about 17 percent of the college's enrollment. If that number rises to 24 percent, the college could be designated as a Hispanic-serving institution by the federal government, officials said.

That designation would qualify the college for large federal grants aimed at helping Hispanic students.

The college enrolled close to 1,400 Hispanic students last semester. To reach the 24 percent level, the college would need to enroll about 500 more Hispanic students.

"That number is achievable," Kitchen said.

Ric Clifford, board chairman, said the college should see what it could do to boost Hispanic enrollment.

Administrators and board trustees noted the tuition structure could be keeping many Hispanic students from thinking about going to the college.

The college's tuition rates per credit hour are $75 for in-district, $122.50 for out-of-district and $175 for out-of-state students. Under state law, undocumented immigrants must pay the out-of-state rate.

The college could abolish its out-of-state rate and have only two tuition rates, said Debi Buckley, chief financial officer. That would cost the school about $300,000. The college's budget this fiscal year is $41.2 million.

Removing the out-of-state rate would have "a very positive impact," said Geovanny Sarmiento, trustee.

"Hispanics are paying more than their fair share of tuition," Sarmiento said.

As for overall enrollment, Kitchen pointed out although the college saw a 1 percent gain in head count, the number of credit hours taken was down 2 percent last semester compared to the previous fall. College officials crafted their budget for the school year based on a 3 percent decrease in head count and credit hours.

Early indications are head count and credit hours will be down this spring semester as well, Kitchen said. The college is expected to release unofficial enrollment numbers for the semester Tuesday, which will be the 11th day of classes. Eleventh-day numbers are used by the state to compare enrollment. The college's 11th-day count last spring was 7,546, a 6.1 percent drop from the previous spring.

Kitchen also presented statistics related to student retention. The 2014 fall semester retention rate, which doesn't count students who graduated during the academic year, was up 1 percent over the year before, Kitchen said. It now stands at about 46 percent.

The national retention rate among public, two-year colleges is around 55 percent. Raising the retention rate is "very hard work, but we are moving in the right direction," Kitchen said.

He presented additional information obtained through a survey of students from last fall who chose not to re-enroll this semester. Of the 161 students who completed the survey, 52 said they were transferring, 44 said they hadn't found time to register, 29 said they had a hold on their account, and 16 said they had challenges due to their schedules.

The college has tried to make it easier for students to register by making staff members available during evenings and weekends, Kitchen said.

Evelyn Jorgenson, college president, told board members they should remember the average age of the college's students is 26.

"They're married, they're working," Jorgenson said. "Sometimes they're working two or three or four jobs."

NW News on 01/24/2015

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