Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Enrollment shows PCC is the place to be

Photos and story by James Hill

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The enrollment growth at community colleges isn’t slowing down. Core full-time credit enrollment, or known as FTE, at Portland Community College gained 16.9 percent this spring term and surged 9 percent in total headcount compared to enrollment numbers last year at this time. It’s the 11th consecutive term of growth for PCC.

In the last two years, the college has grown by 20.5 percent in total headcount and 39 percent in FTE. The two-year numbers are significant because the FTE numbers determine how much money PCC gets from the state’s community college funding formula, established every Oregon biennium budget cycle.

Rock Creek and Cascade campuses have grown the most. For example, Cascade grew by 22.1 percent in FTE and 18.8 percent in overall headcount.

“At Cascade Campus, these are exciting times and we are employing our resources to support the growing demand by residents to pursue the education and training opportunities available,” said Cascade President Algie Gatewood. “We understand the important role the campus plays in preparing students to keep existing jobs, advance their careers, acquire new skills, pursue a bachelor’s degree and to enrich the lives of their families. And all of this translates to  workforce and economic development of the larger community.”

Total headcount for the spring is 41,364 (an increase of 3,413 from spring 2009) and 8,646 in FTE (increase of 1,247 from a year ago), according to the college’s fourth-week winter enrollment report (the standard week for reporting enrollment figures). The enrollment figures reflect the number of students taking classes for that specific term. These numbers cannot be added to other terms’ totals to get an overall enrollment number, as many students who are enrolled throughout the year would be counted more than once. FTE is the total number of full- and part-time students added up to calculate one full-time student.

Even though the amount of money PCC receives from the state is based on FTE, the growth in credit students has been across all of the state’s 17 community colleges and zeroes out any funding increases. So, FTE growth doesn’t necessarily mean the college will receive additional money.

By campus, here is how spring term enrollment has shaken out:

Rock Creek Campus, 17705 N.W. Springville Road

This campus in Washington County, known for diesel service repair, welding, landscape technology and biology programs, experienced the biggest growth. Credit students increased by 23.7 percent and total headcount by 22.4 percent. Since 2008 spring term, Rock Creek credit enrollment has grown by 49.7 percent.

Cascade Campus, 705 N. Killingsworth St.

The campus, in inner Northeast Portland, is home to the trades and industry, education, first responder, fire science and business administration programs. It swelled by 22.1 percent in FTE and 18.8 percent in overall headcount. Compare that to enrollment during spring term in 2008 and the campus has sustained a 52.2 percent FTE surge.

Southeast Center, 2305 S.E. 82nd and Division

The center, which allows students to complete many of the courses toward a college transfer degree, saw its core enrollment increase by almost 33 percent. The Southeast Center also offers Aviation Science courses, Adult Basic Education courses to help students prepare for the GED, and English for Speakers of Other Languages classes in addition to its core credit classes.

Sylvania Campus, 12000 S.W. 49th Ave.

The southwest Portland campus – the largest in PCC’s 1,500-square-mile district and housing such programs as machine manufacturing technology, early childhood education, sign language interpretation and automotive technology – experienced a 15.4 percent increase in student enrollment and 15.8 percent growth in FTE. In the two years since spring term of 2008, Sylvania’s core credit enrollment has grown by 31 percent – the least of the major campuses in that two-year span.