Enrollment reaches record high by Tori Durst The Ranger Editor

Amarillo College enrollment increased by 7 percent this fall, making enrollment the highest ever at 9,229 students.

“Our goal was 9,058,” said Brad Johnson, director of enrollment management. “We continue to see a larger and larger number of students, that in the past would have started their college at a university, now beginning at Amarillo College,” Johnson said.

“This includes many top-performing students who are realizing the benefits of a school where instructors focus on one thing: instruction.”

Peggy Southall, director of college relations, said, “There was a 29 percent increase in students who received honor scholarships or were in the National Honors Society.”

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board estimated that AC enrollment would be only 8,336 for the 2002 year.

According to the THECB Web site, thecb.state.tx.us,  enrollment in 2005 at Texas universities should increase to 446,000 students. Community colleges are predicted to have higher enrollment at 480,000 students.

Anita Loshbough, registrar at West Texas A&M University, said WT enrollment as of Tuesday was 6,814. The official enrollment numbers will be released on the 20th day of classes according to state requirements.

Loshbaugh said she thinks more students are going to community colleges first. Combined there are roughly only 2,429 students enrolled as freshman and sophmores at WT, she said.

AC President Bud Joyner said, “It is not a fair comparision. They are two institutions that serve two different missions, and they do a fine job.”

Some AC students were surprised at the difference in AC and WT enrollment numbers.

“Wow,” said Sherwood Foley, a secondary education and computer science major. 

Foley said the enrollment numbers surprised her because “WT is a larger university and we are just a community college.”

Ali Knowles, a physical therapist major, said, “I am kind of surprised, because a university should have more people.”

Kari Fesler, a radiology therapy major, said “yes,” the numbers surprise her, but “no,” they don’t because AC is a good school.

“Clearly we exceeded our goal and are excited,” Joyner said. “We are pleased that 600 more people can benefit from AC.”

Joyner said the college planned for the enrollment growth by adding more part-time employees.

He said AC took the expected enrollment into consideration “in a conservative way when planning the budget and tuition increase.”

The primary method of dealing with enrollment growth is flexibility, Joyner said.

He said AC faces many challenges and concerns with enrollment growth and that one is the state funding that will be decided in January.

“The state is looking at a deficit, and we are clearly concerned,” Joyner said.

Gov. Rick Perry, who visited the campus Sept. 4, said his priority is higher education in Texas.

Kathy Walt, Perry’s press secretary, said, “Next session is not going to be an easy budget session, but the governor has significant experience in these budgeting matters and in the past has increased funding for higher education.”

Stan Adelman, AC database coordinator, said, “It affects lots of things: parking, how hard it is to get in classes, the teaching load and college funding in the future, because we are supported by the state.”

Increases in enrollment also are affecting parking at the Moore County and  Amarillo Technical Center campuses.

Kalina Pohl Meier Hill, assistant director at Moore County, said, “Our parking is full during our peak time, the night classes." ATC Executive Director Sharon Hemphill said, “The parking lots are fuller, but we still have ample parking.”

ATC has had to open up additional space for the programs offered at the campus.

Southall said students have many reasons for choosing AC. She said the key reason is the low tuition.

“Traditionally when the economy is suffering, we see increased enrollment at community colleges over universities,” Southall said.

Foley said she chose AC because of the location. “I felt like the computer classes were more beneficial,” she said.

“It was close to home,” Knowles said.

“I can still be around my family, and many of my friends were going here.”