What declining enrollment?; College pledges growth

ST. PETERSBURG -- While leaders of large state universities grapple with enrollment freezes and other cost-cutting issues created by less state funding, St. Petersburg College President Carl Kuttler is headed in the opposite direction. He's gearing up for more business at St. Petersburg College.

Kuttler and his staff are preparing to accommodate an additional 500 students in the college's baccalaureate programs.

"We're dead serious about doing this, and we're going to try to do it this year," he said.

The Board of Governors, which oversees the state's 11 public universities, decided last week to freeze freshmen enrollment statewide at the current level of 38,300, starting in spring 2008.

The board's action follows Gov. Charlie Crist's veto of a 5 percent tuition increase for in-state undergraduates and an expected shortfall in state funding of 4 percent to 10 percent.

For the University of South Florida alone, the shortfall will range from $15 million to $36 million.

USF officials and leaders of other state universities already are developing cost-cutting strategies such as larger classes, fewer courses and possible hiring freezes.



Seeking programs in demand

But at SPC, more doors are opening for students.

"We have good money managers, and we have some reserves," Kuttler said. "We don't do all the research big universities do, and we're able to respond to the needs of the community. We're opening up more spaces for students."

Part of SPC's strategy involves the possibility of sharing applications submitted to universities when enrollment caps shut out prospective students so they would not be denied access to higher education, he said.

SPC tuition is about 30 percent cheaper than at universities, and its average class size is 23.

The college -- the first community college in Florida authorized to offer four-year degrees -- has 15 baccalaureate programs. Through its University Partnership, SPC students have access to 86 different degree programs.

SPC partners with 16 public and private universities -- including University of Florida, Indiana University and Case Western Reserve -- to provide four-year programs on campus or online.

Most of the college's four-year programs are at least partially online.

Last academic year, SPC had 2,538 students in four-year programs.

As of this week, registration for SPC four-year programs was 23 percent higher than the same time last year. Its two-year program registration was 9 percent ahead of last year's.



Filling need

At Hillsborough Community College, enrollment increased about 1 percent last academic year, but more students seeking two-year degrees are expected as a result of the upheaval at state universities.

"We are not at our capacity now and can handle increased enrollment," said Sylvia Carley, president of HCC's Ybor City Campus.

Remodeling at the Ybor campus will provide four more classrooms. HCC also is adding more classroom space at its Plant City and Brandon campuses as part of the college's strategic planning process.

The college increased its courses this summer for dual enrollment students and will evaluate its agreements with the public school district to beef up offerings for high school students, Carley said.

"We have more than 100 students who took two or more courses this summer in our dual enrollment program," she said.

HCC can, if necessary, increase its evening and weekend programs and its range of courses to meet students' needs, Carley said.

"We feel that more students will be coming to our institution as a result of the (enrollment) cap," she said.