No other details released as yet by Yavapai Community College; estimated three-quarters are part-time students

Yavapai Community College has not yet released detailed enrollment information for the Fall 2023 semester. However, some insights were shared at the November 2023 District Governing Board meeting, shedding light on this subject.

The enrollment information was part of the “Environmental Scan” report presented by Dr. Tom Hughes, Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Research at the College. According to Dr. Hughes, the Fall 2023 enrollment at Yavapai College, measured in terms of total credit hours taken by students, has increased by 8.7%. He also noted that the total enrollment, counted as the number of students enrolled in classes, rose by 2.8%.

Later in the meeting, it was reported that “three-quarters” of the student body is attending part-time. This may be significant if correct, considering that in the Community College’s most recent official report to the State of Arizona, part-time students comprised 85% of the student body. (See table below.)

The College has not yet publicly released data detailing the number of students attending each campus or center during fall 2023, the number of online learners, or other relevant information.

The latest available data on enrollment at Yavapai Community College is found in the 2021-2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report submitted to the State of Arizona. (See table below.)

So far, adults have filled 29 of 48 available seats; additional three 8 week adult classes also scheduled for October

Yavapai Community College has offered three adult culinary classes for the fall 2022 at the Sedona Center to begin in August. As of the first day of class, the College reported that it had filled 29 of 48 available seats for these classes.  Enrollment, as reported by the College, indicates the following:

• Culinary Principles: 12 out of 16 seats filled
• Culinary Fundamentals Hot Foods: 10 out of 16 seats filled
• Culinary Fundamentals Baking & Pastry (8-week class): 7 out of 16 seats filled

In October, an additional three eight-week classes are currently scheduled for adults, including:

• Cake Decorating Basics
• Food Purchasing/Cost Control (WebLive)
• Culinary Arts Practicum

VACTE: The fall enrollment  data for high school students enrolled in culinary training at the Center through the Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education (VACTE) as of August 18, 2022, show that 40 students have signed up for the available 64 open spots.   All of the high school students  will be taught at the Sedona Center. The student enrollment was:

• • Culinary Principles: 13 out of 16 seats filled
  • Culinary Principles: 7 out of 16 seats filled
  • Culinary Fundamentals Hot Foods: 13 out of 16 seats filled 
  • Culinary Fundamentals Hot Foods: 7 out of 16 seats  filled

• Note that Camp Verde High School students are eligible to enroll in VACTE culinary classes at the Sedona Center.  However, because of travel time and schedules, it is currently not feasible for them to take classes there.  Also, Camp Verde High School has a culinary facility on its campus.  VACTE is working with a new teacher with the goal of qualifying the programs for  dual enrollment. If successful, dual enrollment  will give the students upon successful completion of the courses  Yavapai Community College Credit.

College offers 134 online classes and 96 face-to-face classes; nine face-to-face classes on east side of County; 88 face-to-face classes offered on west side of County

Online classes now dominate the summer session at Yavapai Community College.  According to its registration website, there is a total of 230 summer session credit classes being offered in 2022.  Of those classes, 134 are being offered online.  There are only 96 classes being offered face-to-face.

In terms of east County and west County face-to-face class offerings, there are nine summer session credit classes offered on the east side of the County (Sedona and the Verde Valley) and 88 summer session credit face-to-face classes being offered on the west side of the County (Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley).

Summer Regular Session began June 6 and will end July 28.

Only nine classes offered at Verde Campus; none at Sedona Center | Four classes show enrollment of five or fewer students | Reasons might be: Online focus?  Poor marketing?  Historical underdevelopment?  Resignation of Dean Redd?  Firing of Sedona Culinary Director without summer plans?  Other?

The face-to-face summer session enrollment at the Verde Valley Campus and Sedona Center for credit courses shows a disappointing number being offered and a similar disappointing response to enrolling in several of them.  That is what the Blog derived when examining the Community College  registration data on the first day of classes, June 6.  

One reason for low enrollment is the lack of face-to-face courses being offered.  This year the Community College offered only nine classes.  All were based on the Verde Campus.  No classes were offered at the Sedona Center.

Registration data checked on the first day of the summer session also showed that in four of the nine classes being offered there were  five or fewer students registered. 

There are many possible explanations  for this situation.  Maybe the lower registration has to do with the Community College focusing on offering over 130 classes on-line.  Or, possibly it reflects the failure of over 50 years in poor development of the Community College on the east side of the County?  Or, poor marketing skills when it comes to the Verde Valley? Or, that Campus Dean Dr. Tina Redd resigned in March?  Or, poor planning associated with the decision to terminate Sedona Center Director of its Culinary Arts program and having no direction for the summer?   

Whatever the reason, the summer session for face-to-face credit classes  at Yavapai Community College on the east side of Yavapai County does not look very strong.

President Rhine says Softball coach, pitcher and shortstop receive special honors

Yavapai Community College President, Dr. Lisa Rhine, reported at the May 17 Governing Board meeting that the College graduated 1,133 students in spring commencement ceremonies held in Sedona and Prescott.  Those students were awarded a total of 1,487 degrees and certificates.

She also congratulated the Community College softball team for an outstanding season record. After winning the NJCAA Division 1 Softball Championship, they moved to the NJCAA tournament in Yuma, Arizona. On May 25 the team  fell 4-3 in its first contest against No. 7 seed McLennan Community College and dropped to the loser’s bracket in the tournament, setting up an elimination game against the No. 9 seed College of Southern Idaho. The Roughriders rebounded against Southern Idaho  with a 3-0 victory, eliminating the Golden Eagles.   The split moves Yavapai’s overall record this season to 56-5.

Special honors went to Softball coach Doug Eastman as coach of the year. Player of the year honors went to shortstop Lovey Kepa’a, while pitcher of the year was awarded to Emily Dix.

Dr. Rhine also reported that summer enrollment was up from 2021.  According to her, so far the College is 7.8 percent up in student credit hours and 11.4% in student headcount when compared to summer 2021.  In addition, early fall enrollment figures are trending in double digit numbers over fall 2021.

You may view Dr. Rhine’s report on these topics as she reported  to the Governing Board at its May 17 meeting by clicking here.  You may view her complete report to the Board when the video is posted by the Community College on the Governing Board website.

Fall 2021 enrollment 1.6% over fall 2019 and 25.6% over fall 2020 | Spring enrollment so far down from 2019 by 9.8% but eight-week class enrollment not completed | Spring enrollment already up 11.6% over 2021

Yavapai Community College president Dr. Lisa Rhine reported to the District Governing Board at its February 22, 2022, meeting on the robust enrollment in the fall and spring.  It came as a welcome surprise to the Governing Board because community colleges in Arizona and elsewhere are showing dramatic declines in enrollment.

For example, the Arizona Republic reported December 1, 2020 in an article by Rachel Leingang that “enrollment plumets at Maricopa Community Colleges for fall semester” and was down 14.5% in fall 2021 compared to fall 2020.  In another article in the Arizona Republic on February 19, 2022,  Ms. Leingang reported that “overall enrollment [at Maricopa Community Colleges] at the start of this spring [2022] semester was 23% below spring 2020 and 11% below spring 2021.” She also reported that Maricopa County Community Colleges District “is teetering on the edge of a fiscal cliff as enrollment continues to drop.”

On October 1, 2021 Ms. Leingang reported in a story in the Arizona Republic that “At Maricopa Community Colleges and Pima Community College, current numbers show enrollment is down 17% and 19% respectively from fall 2019. In those districts, which combined include over a dozen separate campuses, that amounts to over 23,000 fewer students enrolled now than before the pandemic.”

In her report to the District Governing Board, Dr. Rhine said Fall 2021 enrollment was 1.6% over fall 2019 and 25.6% over fall 2020 . She also said that spring enrollment so far was down from 2019 by 9.8% noting she anticipates that figure will go down once the data for the spring  2022 eight-week class enrollment is compiled. The  Spring enrollment for 2020 is already up 11.6% over 2021.

You may view  the short four minute video clip of Dr. Rhine’s enrollment report to the District Governing Board  below. 

Sources:  District Governing Board meeting February 22, 2022; You may read all of Ms. Leingang’s articles in the Arizona Republic at https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2022/02/19/enrollment-falls-maricopa-community-colleges-face-ongoing-deficits/6830881001/ (fiscal problems for Maricopa); https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2021/10/01/student-enrollment-arizonas-community-colleges-continues-fall/5815511001/ (Maricopa and Pima); https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2020/12/01/maricopa-community-colleges-see-big-enrollment-drop-fall-semester/6468854002/ (enrollment plummets at Maricopa).

Total number of students attending (some take more than a single class) is somewhat over 600

Verde Valley Dean Dr. Tina Redd gave a presentation to the Sedona Council on Tuesday, January 25.  In that presentation she discussed the fall student enrollment in the Verde Valley.

According to Dr. Redd, fall enrollment for Community College General Education classes was at 263.  For Career and Technical Education classes, which includes all the Health and Wellness classes, was 835.  She explained that because some students take more than one class, the enrollment numbers included those students who may have taken two or three courses.

Dr. Redd put the total headcount of students attending the Community College in the fall 2021 at a little over 600.

You may view Dr. Redd’s enrollment presentation (about two minutes) on the video below.  You may also view all of her presentation to the Sedona Council by clicking here.  

Source:  Sedona Council meeting video, Tuesday, January 25, 2022.

Yavapai Community College is doing very well in its enrollment efforts

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported on Thursday, January 13 that  overall undergraduate enrollment in the United States  in fall 2021 dropped 3.1 percent, or by 465,300 students, compared with a year earlier. The drop is similar to the decline in fall 2020.  There has been  a 6.6 percent decline in overall undergraduate enrollment since 2019.

Public two-year colleges were  the hardest-hit sector since the start of the pandemic, with enrollment down 13.5 percent since 2019. Leaders of community colleges have said some of their students struggled to pivot online at the start of the health crisis because of spotty Internet access, while others took a step back from school because of family obligations.

Because community colleges educate a large share of students from low-to-moderate-income families, higher education experts worry a continuation of enrollment declines could erode their earnings potential.

Recall that Yavapai Community College enrollment reported enrollment  above the  2019 enrollment figure in the fall 2021. In data gathered by the Arizona Republic newspaper, it reported Yavapai Community College 2021 fall enrollment at 7,525.  This compares, according to the newspaper,  to 6,009 reported in fall 2020 and 7,429 reported in the fall 2019. For Arizona overall, the newspaper reported that community college enrollment is about 15% below pre-pandemic levels.

Sources:  National Student Clearinghouse Research Center; Washington Post article dated January 13, 2021, Arizona Republic article dated October 1, 2021.