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The Daily Tar Heel

N.C. Community College Attendance on the Rise

For Hovey, community college was the clear choice.

"I was really dissatisfied with school after high school," he said. "Community college was the step between. It got me interested in school again."

Hovey, a sophomore, plans to transfer to UNC-CH and major in English after his two years at Alamance Community College. Under the 1997 Comprehensive Articulation Agreement between the N.C. Community College system and the UNC system, Hovey is able to transfer his credits and start as a junior at a UNC-system school.

Hovey said he has had a good experience at Alamance Community College, largely because of the teachers and small classes.

"It improved my chances of succeeding," he said. "I might have flunked out if I had gone straight to the University."

Many students like Hovey are flocking to North Carolina's community colleges, accounting for the increase in younger students at community colleges across the state. A trend that began during the past decade, increased enrollment has impacted community colleges throughout the state.

In 1995, students ages 16 to 23 represented 35 percent of the total number of students in curriculum programs at North Carolina's 59 community colleges. By 2000, that number increased to 41 percent.

Martin Lancaster, president of the N.C. Community College system, said more and more students are coming straight from high school, attributing the influx partly to rising tuition at universities.

He predicted that the increase in younger students will continue.

"If university costs continue to rise, my guess is that you will see a continued growth from high school students," Lancaster said.

He emphasized the benefits of community colleges as reasons for increased attendance.

"Students are beginning to see that community colleges are of good value educationally and financially," Lancaster said. "The classes are small -- 15 to 20 students -- and the instructors are focused on teaching. They don't have research requirements. It is a much more nurturing environment."

Ken Whitehurst, director of student development services in the community college system, attributed growth in younger students to the 1997 Comprehensive Articulation Agreement. With an associate degree of arts, fine arts, or science from a community college, students can begin as a junior in the university system.

"There is a real explosive growth in these younger students choosing community colleges because of the college transfer agreement," Whitehurst said. "A student who finishes our (associate of fine art) degree will meet junior status without having to pay money for dorms and a higher tuition. They can do this at a community college for a cheaper rate."

Lancaster said that although the influx of younger students has not yet changed the curriculum, it has changed the classroom dynamic.

"Anytime you have a diverse classroom, it adds to the intellectual stimulation of the class," Lancaster said.

"You have 47-year-olds and 17-year-olds in the same class. The older students bring life experience that enriches the classroom."

Hovey said he has enjoyed classes with older students because they are more focused.

"The classes are quieter than they would ordinarily be," Hovey said. "The older students are more serious about their studies."

Many community college officials agree that there has been an increase in younger students, yet they say that due to the poor economy, there has been a recent influx of older students.

Larry Caudill, dean of student services at Wilkes Community College, said the recent setbacks in the economy have influenced the student profile.

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"Recently we've seen a large increase in the older student population because of a decrease in plant employment," Caudill said.

"There are more people unemployed. We've seen an increase (in the average student age) because of that."

Caudill explained that the overall enrollment has soared due to the influx of older and younger students.

"We are seeing both trends," he said. "There is a large transfer group of students that wanted to go on to the university system, but (the universities) are having to turn away more students. ... We are getting the spillover from them and from unemployment."

Enrollment in the community college system increased by about 14,000 full-time students this year, about twice the total of the increase in the UNC system.

Whitehurst said that although there has been a short-term growth trend of older students, he believes the increase in younger students will be the more consistent trend.

Caudill explained that the increased enrollment has caused class size to increase as well. "We are having to put more students in each classroom," he said. "There has been a large increase in the number of large classes. We've historically tried to keep class size small."

Lancaster emphasized that community colleges are facing significant financial needs in addition to class size problems. He said that with the relatively low salaries, the system has difficulties attracting and maintaining faculty.

"The greatest challenge is that we are grossly underfunded," Lancaster said. "(The teachers) are the worst paid in the country."

But Whitehurst said the increased enrollment has expanded the role of the community college system in the state's educational system and has strengthened the partnership with the UNC system.

Whitehurst said, "It has given community colleges a larger role in provision of services of the state and increased the necessity to develop a strong partnership with public schools and universities."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.

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