NIC enrollment continues to rise

COEUR d'ALENE - Enrollment numbers continue to skyrocket as state revenue funding becomes more and more scarce for North Idaho College.

NIC President Priscilla Bell was in Boise on Wednesday detailing the college's financial situation for lawmakers who sit on the Idaho Legislature's Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee.

Bell shared her prepared remarks with The Press.

"Our challenge is to keep college affordable and not overburden the local taxpayers - this is increasingly difficult," Bell told JFAC members.

While Bell was addressing the committee, college staff in Coeur d'Alene released NIC's 10th-day enrollment numbers for the spring semester.

There are 500 more students attending NIC than there were at this time a year ago, reflecting a 9.8 percent increase to 6,426 students.

Most colleges and universities see enrollments decrease from the fall to spring semesters each year as students discontinue classes following the semester break.

This year, for just the second time in NIC's 78-year history, spring enrollment surpassed the fall enrollment of 6,347.

Bell told JFAC members that from fall 2007 to last fall the number of students rose by 37 percent.

Since 2001, NIC's enrollment has more than doubled, although the college's funding from the state has not increased comparably. It is now at the same level it was at in 2002.

NIC's three major sources of revenue are state general funds, local property taxes, and student tuition and fees.

There has been a shift of the financial burden over the past few years as state funding has declined, Bell said.

Funds from the state have increased by just 25 percent since 2001 while student tuition and fee revenue has gone up by 106 percent, and local property tax collections have increased by 112 percent.

"The combination of dramatic enrollment increases coupled with budget reductions makes it difficult to keep our doors wide open to all who choose to come, and to keep students' costs reasonable," Bell said.

Gov. Butch Otter has recommended an overall $1.5 million reduction in fiscal year 2012 state funding for community colleges statewide.

Unlike state agencies that have cut programs or services, Bell said NIC's enrollment hikes have mandated that the college grows to meet the needs of those students, despite the declining revenue.

The college has continued to add programs to meet the needs of the region, Bell said.

In 2009, NIC established a Peace Officer Standards and Training academy that provides state-approved law enforcement training along with college credit courses.

The I-BEST (Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training) program, started last fall with a $550,000 grant, allows students to complete their GEDs while participating in technical training programs that prepare them for additional college course work, or provide entry-level workplace skills.