THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 15, 1997 TAG: 9701150455
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY JEFF HAMPTON, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: 50 lines
With 1,867 students, College of the Albemarle is enjoying a record enrollment for the winter quarter.
``It's never entirely clear why there is a change in behavior of several thousand people,'' said Dr. Larry Donnithorne, president of COA.
More people in North Carolina are transferring from four-year colleges to two-year colleges than the other way around, Donnithorne said, referring to a recent study.
``There are not enough people in the labor force with two-year technical degrees. Supply and demand are causing some of the increases.''
Ray Scaffa, COA's dean of students, said the increasing demand for workers with technical skills may have been a reason enrollment is up.
Scaffa reasoned that the jump in enrollment may also be attributed to the new electronic ease of getting financial aid and loans.
``It's much quicker to get qualified with the electronic process,'' said Scaffa.
COA's overall enrollment last year was 7,169, including the extension programs, according to records from the Community College System. COA is a mid-size community college among the 58 in the state.
Central Piedmont Community College is by far the largest, with a total enrollment of 53,623. The overall community college enrollment statewide is 779,956. Almost 236,000 of those students are taking courses for credit.
COA opened in 1961 as the first community college in the state. Its initial emphasis was to prepare students for four-year colleges. Most community colleges began as technical schools.
According to enrollment figures from the state, COA was the only community college in North Carolina where there were more college transfer students than vocational and technical students. In the 1990-91 school year, the trend changed, and COA enrolled more technical and vocational students.
The average age of its students is in the early 30s, said Scott Bush, president of the student senate.
After attending COA for three years, Bush, 25, will earn associate degrees in science and in fine arts/drama.
``In the years I've attended COA, there has always been a wide variety of students,'' Bush said. ``There's just more of them now. A lot are nontraditional students, older students.''
COA has a relatively large population of students over 65, said Bush.
Scaffa said the nursing and business programs are traditionally the most popular. The vocational and technical programs are in demand, but enrollment is limited by shop space.
``The machinist courses were jam-packed last semester,'' said Scaffa. ``The machinist trade is in very strong demand in the job market.''