Michigan Community Colleges See Decline in Summer Enrollment

Michigan community colleges are seeing a decline in summer enrollment, an indication of what’s to come in the fall, reports the Detroit Free Press.

Summer sessions begin as early as the first week in May with many following at the end of May.  

As an example of what the state’s 28 community colleges are facing, the Detroit Free Press looked at Washtenaw Community College. WCC will begin their summer term on May 8 with all classes online only. On March 12, WCC saw a 11% decrease in registration for summer classes compared to the same time last year. On April 3, after the college announced it would be online only, registrations were down 36.5% from last year’s number. By April 15, enrollment was down by 26% overall.

The hardest hit programs by the enrollment drop are geared toward a skilled trade like culinary or welding, which are difficult to teach online. Some of those classes have been canceled.

WCC is projected to lose nearly $2 million from this fiscal year from summer tuition revenue. The school is also anticipating loses from state aid.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Houston K–12 District Opens New Elementary School

    The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (Lamar CISD) recently announced the completion of a new elementary school in a western suburb of Houston, Texas, according to a news release. Haygood Elementary School measures in at 110,000 square feet, has the capacity for 854 students, and is the first of three new schools scheduled to be built in the Cross Creek West community.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

  • California K–12 District Completes Elementary School Campus Replacement

    The West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) in Richmond, Calif., recently announced the completion of a replacement campus for Lake Elementary School, according to a news release. The school has capacity for 470 students between Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and sixth grade.

  • Utah Valley University Opens New Engineering Building

    Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, recently held a grand-opening ceremony for the new Scott M. Smith Engineering Building, according to a news release. The facility is one of the largest engineering buildings in the state at almost 200,000 square feet, and it plays home to the university’s Smith College of Engineering and Technology (SCET).