GCC hears enrollment report

By TOM STANKARD

[email protected]

Ironwood -The Gogebic Community College Board of Trustees heard the 2015 fall enrollment report Tuesday night.

According to Kim Zeckovich, Director of Admissions, new student headcount increased from 304 last year to 322 this year along with re-entry students increasing from 127 last year to 201 this year.

"GCC is already seeing an impact from its marketing initiative with Interact Communications, Inc. of La Crosse, Wis.," she said.

Miranda Lawver, Institutional Researcher, said GCC's headcount is down 64 students overall from last year, with a total of 570 full-time students and 488 part-time students.

Lawver said continuing students is also down from 546 to 333 this fall. Credit hours also decreased from 12,944 last fall to 11,651 this fall.

Lawver said credit distribution by residency shows 25.2 percent of GCC students are in-district (Gogebic County residents), 60.2 percent out-of-district, 10.3 percent Wisconsin Reciprocity area, and 4.3 percent come from out-of-state. On campus day courses showed the highest distribution of courses at 54.3 percent, while off-campus day courses showed an increase of 6.8 percent.

According to information provided at the meeting, off campus enrollment rose by just two students, but the credits increased to 2,620 compared to 2,575 credits last year. Lawver said the increase is due to the increased expansion of space in the Copper Country Center in Houghton.

Lawver said early college enrollment also increased significantly to 202 students this year from 144 last year.

Overall, 40.6 percent of GCC's total student population is enrolled in occupational programs, 42.1 percent in transfer programs and the other 17.3 percents accounts for non-degree seeking students and the Early College program.

Lawver said GCC's current retention rate is 57.3 percent which remains well above the national average of 5 percent

According to the May 2015 GCC graduate survey, 99.16 percent of students reported that they achieved their goal at GCC, and 97.5 percent indicated that they would recommend GCC to someone else.

According to GCC, most Michigan community colleges have had enrollment declines the last few years and this is the first year GCC has had a decrease.

The trustees approved the retirement of Lenore Jackson, Accounts Payable and Purchasing, effective Jan. 31, 2016.

Jackson has been employed with GCC since 1989.

According to information provided at the meeting, Jackson has saved the college thousands of dollars by her "efficient ways and negotiations with prospective and current vendors and also been instrumental in fundraising with the GCC Booster Club and is an active member of the MESPA union, serving as president for many years."

"She's done an excellent job and worked hard to make the booster club a success," GCC President Jim Lorenson said.

The women's volleyball team and the men's and women's cross country team was introduced to the board.

"It has been an exciting season for the Lady Samson Volleyball team this year. We could refer to it as a 'roller coaster.' We started on the bottom but climbed up, and had some ups and downs," said Aaron Bender, Lady Samson volleyball coach.

The GCC volleyball team finished exactly .500, with 18 wins and 18 losses.

GCC cross country Coach Chris Tweiten said the team had a successful season.

"The 2015 GCC Cross Country team wrapped up a great season on Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Aluminum Athletic Equipment Invite in Winneconne, Wis.," he said. "The eight runners this year worked very hard each week to improve their times, and every one of them accomplished personal bests this year. We hope to continue progressing and building the program to be better and better each year."

Moving forward with the agenda, the board approved a five-year campus master plan, as required and submitted to the Capital Outlay office in Lansing in order to be placed on the Capital Outlay list for future funding of major projects, according to GCC.

Eric Guenard, GCC dean of Business Services, said the college is in need of replacing the 2001 Snow Cat that grooms Mt. Zion and provides instruction to the Ski Area Management students.

Jim Vander Spoel, director of the Ski Area Management program and Mt. Zion Operations, negotiated the lease with Pistenbully to purchase a used 2008 PB 400 Park Bully for $110,000 payable in installments over four years.

According to GCC, the process has been used for many years and the sole source supplier has proven to be advantageous for the college.

Guenard said the college will trade in the 2001 PB 300 Park Bully.