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For the second time in as many fall semesters, Amarillo College has eclipsed its previous record for enrollment.
Preliminary 12th-class-day enrollment at Amarillo College this fall is 11,675, a milestone that represents a 5.1-percent increase from the fall of 2009, when a then-record 11,100 students pursued academic credits at AC.
AC’s record enrollment upsurge mirrors a widespread trend. A survey conducted last year by the American Association of Community Colleges revealed that from 2007-2009, head count in community college credit courses was up 16.9 percent nationally.
“It’s pretty clear that more individuals and more families are discovering that community colleges are a bargain that make a great deal of sense,” Robert Austin, AC’s dean of enrollment management, said. “A vast amount of effort goes into keeping tuition low and quality high at Amarillo College.
“Our main focus now is to help these students reach their academic goals.”
Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, vice president for academic affairs, said student success is a top institutional priority at Amarillo College, as reflected in its recently adopted Strategic Plan for 2010-2015.
“While enrollment growth lends credence to the quality of our institution, it also compels us to discover and develop new ways to ensure student success,” Lowery-Hart said. “The new Strategic Plan is a road map for how this College will improve over the next five years.
“We will be student-centered in the decision-making process. We will identify student needs, respond to those needs and track the results of our efforts. The data may guide us, but the people will matter most.”