Let's break another record!
Last week, our 16 colleges welcomed students to the spring 2022 semester. Most of our students joined us onsite for classes while many others joined remotely, or a bit of both. Whatever their mode of learning, I’m pleased to welcome them, or welcome them back, to the KCTCS family.
A new article by Inside Higher Education says nationally, total college enrollment – undergrads and graduate students – is down by nearly 1 million students since the start of the pandemic. The article also points out that community colleges were hit hardest.
That’s mainly because our students are very different from university students plus many of the technical programs we offer require hands-on training. So, during the pandemic, it’s been harder for students to be on campus to complete their programs.
It’s not widely known that our students face a significant number of barriers when compared to university students. They are older and a good number of them have dependents. Most of them work. Many are first generation students who have little knowledge of how to navigate college. Additionally, they have childcare and transportation issues. Some have housing and food insecurity issues as well.
Even up against so many obstacles, thousands of Kentuckians have decided to attend one of our 16 KCTCS colleges this semester. I couldn’t be prouder of them for stepping up and doing what’s needed to improve their lives and the lives of their families.
Our role is not just to educate Kentuckians. We’re also here to help them overcome nonacademic barriers. For so many, it would be easy to give up, but they don’t! Last spring, we had our largest graduating class ever. We also awarded the largest number of credentials, which pushed KCTCS to number one in the nation for credentials awarded by two-year public colleges.
One of my main goals as president of KCTCS is to make sure we are meeting the needs of our students on both the academic and nonacademic fronts. That means offering flexible class schedules, financial aid help, coaching and mentoring, food pantries, assistance with bus passes and assisting with any other needs they may have.
The Inside Higher Ed article said it could be a while before we see enrollment start to move upward mainly due to the uncertainty around COVID. Our 16 colleges are doing everything they can to ensure the safety of our students, faculty and staff. We require masks and our classrooms and other areas are socially distanced to help prevent the spread of germs.
These are tough times for all of us, but our students have the grit and perseverance to achieve their dreams. I look forward to a successful semester for all and am hoping for another record-breaking year of graduates and credentials!
