Mike James/The Independent
Ashland — A double-digit enrollment increase at Ashland Community and Technical College may be due in part to a recent focus on dropout prevention, a college official said.
ACTC enrollment jumped 14 percent for spring 2010 compared to the same time last year, according to figures provided by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.
That follows a leap of more than 10 percent in the fall.
The enrollment increase accompanies changes ACTC has made to keep students in school, said director of institutional planning, research and effectiveness Steve Flouhouse.
A $2 million grant spread over five years allows ACTC to redesign its advising office, add an advisor and find ways to work more closely with students, Flouhouse said.
There has been an increase in retention of first-time freshman students, he said.
Not enough data is in to say for sure, but Flouhouse believes the retention initiative is at least partly responsible for the overall enrollment growth.
Some of the growth, especially last fall, probably is related to the struggling economy, with students opting to go to school rather than compete for scarce jobs, Flouhouse said.
According to unofficial figures, spring enrollment is 3,317.
Systemwide enrollment is up 18 percent and the largest increase is in the non-traditional age group, students 25 and older. At ACTC, Flouhouse said, students in the 17-25 age group showed the largest increase.
Growth at ACTC can be seen in the health sciences programs, for which there have been increases in the number of students seeking acceptance, he said.
Health professions, liberal arts and sciences, business, management and marketing, mechanics and repair technologies and computer/information sciences/support services are the areas of most growth systemwide.
MIKE JAMES can be reached at mjames@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2652.
