Public Relations

NWACC announces record enrollment;
cites need for additional learning spaces

        BENTONVILLE (Wednesday, January 30, 2008) – NorthWest Arkansas Community College enrollment stood at 6,624 students on the 11th class day of the spring 2008 semester, Tuesday, Jan. 29, the college announced today.

        That’s an all-time record enrollment here and represents a 13.8 percent increase over the number of students enrolled at NWACC one year ago (5,823).

        NWACC added 801 students this spring to its Bentonville campus, numerous centers and online courses from one year ago. Each facility is bulging with students.

        The 6,624 students taking classes at locations from Bella Vista to Fayetteville and online has increased by 2,023 since the spring 2004 semester. The 13.8 percent increase is the greatest one-year jump at NWACC over same time period. Spring semester headcounts by year and the increases are presented below.

        NWACC’s spring 2008 enrollment surpassed its fall enrollment for a second straight year. NWACC enrolled 23 more students in spring 2007 and it did in fall 2006.

        The college enrolled a record 6,470 students this past fall, or 154 less than were enrolled Tuesday.

        The 11th class day report also indicates that students are carrying more credit hours than even before. A year ago, those 5,823 students were enrolled in a combined 46,970 credit hours, or 8 hours per student. This spring, those 6,624 students are enrolled in 56,166 hours, or 8.5 hours per student.

        The total number of credit hours students are taking this spring is up by 9,196, or 19.6 percent. Most courses range from 3-4 credit hours.

        NWACC is seeing increased student populations at each of its teaching centers.

        At Burns Hall, 4,467 individual students take credit courses at the facility each week, up from 4,108 students a year ago.

        This is the first spring semester for the Student Center, where 1,982 students take classes each week. The Student Center primarily houses math classes on the third floor. Those classes were relocated last summer from the Math and Technology Center (MAT) on Woods Lane. The MAT hosted 1,126 students last spring.

        At other sites:

• Washington County Center: There are 652 individual students taking classes at the Washington County Center, up from 560 last year.
• Regional Technology Center: There are 511 individual students taking college credit classes at the Regional Technology Center, up from 494 last year.
• Shewmaker Center: There are 421 individual students taking credit classes at the Shewmaker Center, up from 383 last year.
• Bella Vista Highlands Crossing: Utilization of NWACC’s two classrooms at the Bella Vista Highlands Crossing is up to 82 from 32 last year.
• Northwest Technical Center: Utilization of space made available to NWACC by Northwest Technical Center in Springdale is up to 44 from 32 last year.
  
  NWACC has 1,544 individual students taking classes online.

        College President Dr. Becky Paneitz said the non-stop escalating enrollment creates greater urgency for NWACC to quickly develop more classroom and learning environments.

        “Each and every semester more students are choosing to either start or continue their education with us,” she said. “We’re delivering quality instruction that meets the wants and needs of northwest Arkansas.

        “The word’s out: we are accessible, we are affordable and we’re convenient. As much as that’s a result of northwest Arkansas’ success, it’s also a result of our focus on providing students a quality educational experience.”

        Paneitz also acknowledged and expressed her appreciation to Gov. Mike Beebe and the Arkansas General Assembly, which increased NWACC state support by 21 percent for the current biennium. That, she said, allowed NWACC to add more faculty to offer more class sections, and staff to support students.

        College leaders are in the middle of a $16 million capital campaign to raise funds to increase the number of teaching facilities, such as classrooms.

        NWACC expects to break ground this spring on the new Shewmaker Center for Global Business Development. That building is set for a fall 2009 opening and will create almost 40,000 square feet of teaching facilities and classrooms.

        The college is remodeling parts of Burns Hall, which will create additional classroom, library and open computer lab space. The work is expected to be completed by next fall.

        More general education classroom space also will become available at Burns Hall when the college relocates its nursing program to the NARTI-Highlands Oncology Center on S.E. Eagle Way, also planning for sometime in 2009.

        Finally, NWACC is amid a process to tie everything – facilities and programming – together.

        The college is conducting six focus group meetings in February throughout northwest Arkansas, asking residents in Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville, Bella Vista and western Benton County how NWACC can best align its programs with the needs of the communities it serves.

        Results will be incorporated into an updated facilities master plan for the main campus in Bentonville as well as for other locations in the NWACC service area.

For questions/comments on this content, please contact Jim Hall.