JACKSON – Northwest Mississippi Community College administrators were included in the delegation of students, members of the Mississippi Faculty Association for Community and Junior Colleges, alumni, trustees and presidents of the 15 two-year colleges who rallied Feb. 24 at the Capitol as legislators faced crucial deadlines.
 Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears, was part of that group. ”We’ve all heard so much about how our economy is suffering,” said Dr. Spears. “We see students every day who are returning to college to retrain after losing a job, or students who need additional classes to complete a degree. It is in the troubled days of this economic downturn that the community college has its finest hour. This is the job for which we were built—to train our workforce, to help students find a new career, or to put adult students in college for the first time,” he said.
Among Tuesday’s speakers was Marilyn Young, president, Mississippi Faculty Association for Community and Junior Colleges and a full-time faculty member at East Mississippi Community College for 13 years.
Young noted a few facts about Mississippi community colleges:
52 percent of all full-time students in higher education are enrolled at a community or junior college.
70 percent of all college freshmen attend a community or junior college.
97 percent of those students are Mississippians.
“Our students come from all walks of life. Some come directly from high school graduation with the world before them. Some come without high school diplomas but realizing the value of furthering their education,” she said. “Some come from years of experience in the workforce but have now found themselves in need of greater training. And some now come without jobs or means to support their families as our economy has taken a turn downward.”
Dr. Eric Clark, executive director, State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, reminded the group how the community college system has been doing more with less for some time now—emphasizing a need for the requested mid-level funding for community colleges.
New figures indicate a 10.7 percent increase in credit enrollment for spring 2009 compared to spring 2008. This growth surpasses an 8.2 percent increase for fall 2008 compared to fall 2007, said Dr. Eric Clark, executive director of the State Board for community and Junior Colleges.
“The very best investment the Mississippi Legislature can make in terms of bringing our state out of this recession and preparing our people for a better quality of life for themselves and their families is to put that money into the community colleges,” he said. “In a recession, enrollment at a community college goes up. And it’s not hard to figure out why. When people lose their jobs or are afraid of losing their jobs they say ‘I’ve got to make myself more valuable in the market place.’ We’re close to home. We’re convenient and we’re the people who provide those skills for those 21st century jobs. We’re a great, great value.”
The colleges are asking for $60.3 million for mid-level funding, $128 million for capital improvements and $14.8 million for dropout recovery. Mid-level funding for community college students is midway between per-student funding for K-12 students and regional public university students. Lawmakers passed legislation signed by Gov. Haley Barbour in 2007 that commits the state to mid-level funding.
Some community college administrators estimate that 2009 enrollment could jump another 10 percent.
Said Hinds President Dr. Clyde Muse: “Our colleges want to avoid tuition increases and keep faculty to serve the growing student enrollments we are seeing statewide. Climbing enrollment at community colleges is evidence that families are looking for more affordable higher education options and that workers recognize the need to upgrade their skills and credentials as they compete for fewer jobs.”
Representing Northwest at the event besides Dr. Spears were Larry Simpson, dean of Enrollment Management and Registrar, and Director of Development Sybil Canon.
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