By Anthony Varriano
Ranger-Review Staff Writer
With 76 more online students this year than last, the changes Dawson Community College has made to expand its online curriculum have paid off. The DCC Board of Trustees met Monday night and made another move to further increase enrollment.
DCC joined the Colorado Community College online system 15 years ago. Last fall, 50 students were registered to take CCC courses through DCC. This year, that number jumped to 126.
DCC President Scott Mickelson said one of the reasons for the school’s online success has been hiring an online recruiter to “keep in contact with those students and make things easier for them.”
DCC also offers the least expensive online tuition compared to other CCC online providers, which factors into why students from all over the country choose to take CCC Online courses through Dawson Community College.
Fall enrollment down
While DCC’s summer enrollment was the highest it’s been the past five years, and the second-highest over the last 10 years, fall enrollment is on par with last year, still down considerably from 2014 and 2013.
There were 377 students enrolled in the fall of 2013 and the headcount this year came in at 294, with 164 full-time students and 130 part-time students. There were 309 students last fall, with 142 enrolling part-time and 162 full-time.
“We’ve got a few more kids in the dorms, and a few more kids buying meal plans, but fewer kids paying tuition. So we’re getting more students here, but they’re taking less credits,” Mickelsen said.
While residence hall occupancy is up 14 percent from last fall. One dorm room can’t be used because it needs to be renovated, so while there are beds available, there are no units available.
DCC Vice President of Student Affairs John Bole said athletic recruiting plays a big role in enrollment and dormitory numbers.
Head men’s basketball coach Joe Peterson recruited 12 new student-athletes and retained eight. Women’s head coach Romeo Lagmay, Jr. has eight freshmen, two transfers and five returning players, and softball coach Jim LeProwse recruited 12 new players and has 12 returning. The rodeo roster has 11 students listed.
New baseball head coach Chris Lewis added 17 new players in a very short period of time. The roster of 27 is the largest in at least the last five years, and Lewis could have winter transfers as well, lifting spring enrollment numbers.
New courses may boost numbers
There could be an opportunity to further grow enrollment by offering childcare development courses that the state requires of childcare providers.
Mickelsen said Brenda Stockert came to him two months ago with an opportunity to increase enrollment and tuition numbers. Stockert said Gail Harden, an instructor of the two courses the state requires of registered childcare providers, recently moved to Glendive and can take on a maximum of 10 students for each course to be counted towards DCC’s full-time enrollment. She doesn’t even need to use DCC facilities.
The state requires childcare providers to complete two courses: an infant-toddler caregiver course and a preschool development course. Each course is four credits and requires 60 hours of classroom training. Right now, the University of Montana–Western offers the classes for $135 each.
“If we’re going to charge full-tuition we would be right around $135, and they said if we charge more than that they’ll go to Western,” Stockert said.
Mickelsen recommended the college undercut Western’s price and charge $125 per course to be included in the tuition policy for the spring. Board member Bob Stanhope made a motion to recommend the $125 charge per course, it was seconded and passed unanimously.
Reach Anthony Varriano at rrsports@rangerreview.com.