Regents given details of fall’s record enrollment
Published or Revised September 30, 2009
Final enrollment numbers for the fall semester at Paris Junior College show an 18.1 percent increase from one year ago and a two-year increase of 30 percent, according to PJC president, Dr. Pamela Anglin, in a report to the PJC Board of Regents Monday night. Vice President of Instruction Dwight Chaney and Vice President of Workforce Education John Spradling joined her in the presentation. "There are increases in just about every area," said Chaney. "There are some social science classes that have as many as 45 students. Traditional classes are overflowing. Our faculty are working very hard, but everyone agrees it's a good problem to have." "We have anywhere from 6.5 to 278 percent growth rates in applied technology programs," added Spradling. PJC Director of Financial Aid Linda Slawson informed the regents that there had been more than $6 million in federal Pell Grant funds awarded this year to 2,093 recipients, 1,261 of whom got the full amount of $4,731. A total of 3,400 students of the 5,584 officially enrolled received some kind of aid, be it outside or institutional scholarships, state funds, Texas Public Education Grant funds, or Pell or other federal funds. "There are 71 students working at the college, or tutoring reading and math at local schools through the work-study program," Slawson stated. "The number of subsidized federal student loans doubled, and we already have nearly as many Pell students for this semester as we had for the entire last year." Division of Mathematics & Science Chair Ed McCraw and Biology Instructor Jack Brown gave an update on a National Science Foundation grant application. The program is designed to help bright students from the PJC service area wanting a career in biomedical or biological sciences to have an assured path of entry into Texas A&M University in College Station. The program addresses science, technology, engineering and mathematics students to increase their enrollment in Texas A&M. The grant funds would allow PJC to develop a molecular biology research program and pay for a recruiter to visit high schools in the service area to inform students about the opportunity. An important component is high school students taking the proper prerequisite math and science courses. "It's a stout program," said Brown. "We keep it strong for this level; it's a load of science. But they [Texas A&M University] tell us every year they see a greater success rate from students who have done their first two years at the community college level." PJC will find out in January if the funding will be awarded. The program builds on an existing articulation agreement that PJC has with Texas A&M. Students completing PJC's Biomedical Sciences program have full guaranteed admission to the Texas A&M Biomedical Sciences program. PJC is one of only 10 community colleges in Texas participating in the program. As part of her report, Dr. Anglin introduced artist's renderings showing the proposed Science & Technology Center that already has a $250,000 commitment from a local foundation. The building would house a 120-seat lecture hall, allowing the nursing program to go from 70 to 120 students. It would have 10 classrooms seating 30 students, six classrooms seating 60 students, five science labs, one nursing lab with 10-12 beds, four computer labs, conference rooms, faculty offices and a total building capacity of 1,000 students. "With the new construction," Dr. Anglin said, "the math and science and nursing programs would be under one roof, and this would allow us to being moving other programs in order to renovate older buildings." Dr. Anglin also reported on the LeadPJC program, designed to develop future leaders among PJC employees. The program has 57 individuals signed up for monthly meetings teaching leadership skills. The new student success course has a total of 878 students enrolled and is being taught by 12 instructors. Students have already covered study, note-taking and testing skills. They've taken a self-assessment on college readiness, and will repeat the assessment at the end of the course. In other business, the Regents:- Exempted full-time PJC employees from being charged tuition and fees, per a change in state law from HB 1568.
- Received an update on employment changes including: the promotion of Scott Edwards to Director of Paris Junior College – Greenville Center, effective Oct. 1. Edwards was serving as Academic/Financial Aid Advisor at the Greenville Center. Catherine Smith was hired as High School Advisor, Educational Talent Search, effective Sept. 8. Resignations were received for Tabitha Blackburn, Program Coordinator Project SAVE, and Jami Hopkins, Clinical Coordinator, Radiology Technology, both effective Sept. 30.