Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

PCC Experiences Highest Growth Rate in Recent History

Photos and Story by James Hill

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Community College enrollment growth has hit a record rate for its winter term of 2001. At the end of the fourth week of classes, the college’s student headcount is up 11.1 percent and the full-time equivalent (FTE) count is up 9.1 percent from winter term of 2000. The total headcount has shot-up an additional 3,623 students and is at 36,303. FTE is comprised of full time and part-time enrollments to get a full-time count, and it currently stands at 5,824 this winter. The surge in students marks the 17th consecutive term of enrollment increases at PCC, the largest community college in Oregon.According to the office of Institutional Research, growth seems to be occurring across the board. "What we’re seeing in the data when comparing this winter to last is that growth is very general and for every program where FTE is up we probably have one where it’s down,"said Susan Bach, director of Institutional Research at PCC. "My sense is that additional credit class section offerings and increased ?fill rates’ in many class sections this term are the most important factors driving the numbers up over last winter."PCC, which offers classes at a cost of $39 a credit hour, added approximately 161 more credit class sections winter term 2000. Bach also said that per class enrollment is up to 19 students a class, an increase of 0.6 students per course from a year ago (18.4).Double-digit FTE growth occurred in lower division transfer instruction, professional technical, adult basic education, community education, and continuing education programs in comparison to last winter term. By category, growth in lower division transfer rose 10.6 percent from last winter term. Professional technical training increased by 7.8 percent from last year at the same time. Continuing education jumped 18.3 percent from last winter term. Big increases are also reported in adult basic education, up 17.9 percent, and in non-credit personal enrichment classes, a 16.9 percent increase. A significant hike occurred in General Education Development (GED) courses, up 44.8 percent, however Bach said this category could fall back by the end-of-term report.Factors outside the college contributing to the strong growth at PCC this winter may include metro area population increases. The college historically serves approximately one in 10 residents in the district annually. In addition, colleges across the country and graduating high school classes are reporting student increases due to the infusion of the baby boomers’ children. Studies also show that more and more people are returning to college to train and retrain in order to keep pace with the fast-changing digital economy and the new technologies of the information age. A further factor pointing to the marked increase affecting PCC’s winter term enrollment numbers may be the apparent downtick in the national economy. Community college enrollment historically increases in times of economic slowing.By campus, the enrollment growth breakdown is:The Cascade Campus leads the way in growth by surging 19.3 percent in total headcount and 13.6 percent in FTE. That’s a rise in headcount of 1,019 students to a total of 6,311 and a swell of 120 FTEs to a count of 998. The Rock Creek Campus increased in total students by 15.2 percent and in FTE by 15.6 percent. The campus saw a rise of 781 students in total headcount to 5,918, and an advance of 146 FTEs for a total of 1,082. The Sylvania Campus, the largest of the three main comprehensive campuses, grew by 8.9 percent in total headcount and 5.6 percent in FTE. In total students, Sylvania increased by 994 for a total of 12,171 and surged by 128 in FTEs to 2,416.PCC Open Campus increased in headcount by 9.2 percent to 17,218 students, a growth of 1,448 people. Total FTE also grew substantially, by 6.9 percent, to 1,319. That’s an increase of 85 FTEs from winter term 2000.