Figures show district enrollment increases
by Shannon Harrison, managing editor

    Enrollment figures at the end of late registration have increased for all four TCC campuses.

    Total enrollment for the district after late registration was 27,618. After the official day of record for Spring 2001, enrollment throughout TCC stood at 25,468.

    Dr. Bill Lace, executive assistant to the chancellor,attributed the growth to various influences.

    “There are a multiple of factors at work,” he said.

    “The natural population growth and the state of the economy in the county contributed. People are looking for additional training or retraining. There is also a gap in cost between TCC and a major university,” he said.

    NE Campus recorded 9,677 students and had the largest increase with 861 more students than last year. SE Campus was next with 7,651, an increase of 570 more students than last year.

    South Campus was third with 7,125, an improvement of 491 students, and NW took a fourth with 4,679, compared to 4,265 last year.

    “We are excited about recent enrollment in the district and excited that SE Campus is a part of it,” Dr. Tahita Fulkerson, SE Campus dean of instruction, said.

    “We are very pleased of the continual growth of student population on campus and in our district,” Dr. Ernest Thomas, South Campus president, said.

    Dr. Larry Darlage, NE Campus president, attributes some of the growth to district recruitment and retention efforts.

    “A big faction is the unemployment rate. I think it is great that enrollment is up, and it is a positive morale booster,” he said.

    “Everyone is pleased with the good, solid enrollment numbers,” Dr. Cathie Jackson, TCC director of admissions, said.

    “Students’ full-time enrollment is up, which means that students are taking more classes,” she said.

    “We always expect to see enrollments when the economy gets touchy, and there are so many people coming into this area. I also believe that our instructors are good, and our students are appreciators,” she said.