MPCC records second-highest enrollment

NORTH PLATTE, Nebraska -- During the Nov. 20 Mid-Plains Community College Board of Governors meeting, Kelly Rippen, Area Dean of Enrollment Management, announced that in the past 2012-13 fiscal year, MPCC recorded its second highest enrollment in history.

According to the recently released audited enrollment figures, the college recorded 1,870 Full-Time-Equivalent (FTE) credit hours -- just down 49 FTE from the previous all-time record year (1,919 FTE). Several factors caused what was anticipated as another record-breaking year, but fell a bit short.

This year the Coordinating Commission for Post-Secondary Education reclassified some classes from "credit" to "non-credit" status. Some of the classes that the college had been able to count into its FTE formula for many years were eliminated. If MPCC had been permitted to compare last year's list of for-credit classes with this year's list, the college would have posted another record breaking year.

According to Rippen, MPCC has been concentrating on targeted recruitment and retention- factors the college can influence through relationship building, intervention, and outreach strategies. She told the Board that the college's one-on-one attention and a personalized experience is what MPCC is all about!

For example, last year MPCC's retention rates increased 5 percent in one year, jumping from 50 to 55 percent. Part-time retention numbers decreased, which tends to happen when students find jobs or take a semester or two off, but then often re-enroll in coming years. She noted that retention relates to those students who completed their first semester or their first year but didn't come back the following year.

"We believe the improving economy also played a factor in retaining students," she said. "Some completed the training or job skills they needed and used those skills for employment, which is still a win/win."

"The research indicates that there is not just one overwhelming reason for the decreases. It only takes is a few dips in each to category to make a significant difference," she continued.

Rippen said the college is focusing heavily on increasing student success and retention. She reiterated that retention is a campus-wide initiative which includes Student Success Center services, faculty and staff outreach to students, and a culture that puts student support first.

She also told the Board that the college is very proud of three additional enrollment statistics. The first is that MPCC's graduation rate is nearly 14 percent higher than the national average for community colleges. Secondly, when the college surveyed incoming first year students, 87 percent of them indicated that MPCC was their first or second choice in their college selection process. And lastly, MPCC is serving 95 more students than last year when the college's FTE was higher than ever, which means more students are attending, but may be taking less credit hours.

"We want students to take the number of hours that is reasonable for them to be successful and have realistic goals," she said.

In closing, Rippen had these parting words for the Board.

"We are doing so many great things and students who enroll with us are getting a top-notch education. It is great that the word continues to spread!"