PORT ANGELES — Enrollment for Peninsula College is at a record level.
Peninsula College President Tom Keegan told about 100 people at the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce that the slow economic climate had increased enrollment at the college 8 percent over last year.
The college had 3,944 students in November 2009 and 4,263 students the same day this month.
“That is approximately a 30 percent increase in enrollment over the past four years,” Keegan said.
“It is not unusual when the economy goes down that enrollment would increase,” he said.
“What is unusual is that at the same time, our budget is on a downward spiral.”
After a 10 percent cut in state funds, the college’s board passed a $16.7 million budget for 2010-2011, Keegan has said.
The college is anticipating a loss of about $600,000 in revenue when across-the-board cuts are enacted, he said.
Parking
With record enrollment come other issues.
An unidentified woman in the audience asked what the college would do about a dearth of parking.
A recent renovation of the Peninsula College’s Port Angeles campus parking lot cut the parking spots by 20, Keegan said.
“Our enrollment won’t always be this high,” he said.
“Right now, we have record numbers, but as the economy improves, our numbers will drop.
“In a few years, I’ll probably be here telling you we’ve had a drastic drop in enrollment — but that will be a good thing because that means they are out there trained and working.”
He said that, coupled with initiatives to encourage students to ride the bus, will help with the parking situation.
Accreditation
Keegan said he was proud of the recent accreditation of the college to be a four-year degree granting institution.
“When I first came here [10 years ago], the most oft-asked question was, ‘When will you become a university?'” Keegan said.
“I said then, we won’t, and that’s where I am today. We cannot give up the community college mission.
“But we are working to see what we can do to offer four-year degrees and partner with other institutions,” Keegan added.
“We are continually assessing the baccalaureate needs and remain nimble to offer what the local community needs.”
Keegan also reviewed the capital projects on campus.
Most of the capital projects are funded by the state Legislature through a competitive process among all the community colleges in the state.
“This money cannot legally be used for operating expenses,” Keegan said.
Maier Hall
Maier Hall — which is currently under construction — will replace four older buildings and is expected to be finished in the fall of 2011.
The $36 million building ultimately will house many of the college’s fine arts and liberal arts classes in the 61,750-square-foot structure.
The campus library amounted to a $14 million project and replaced a 1964 library structure.
The new library is about 27,000 square feet, and the adjoining administration building — built at the same time — is about 8,000 square feet.
Longhouse
The Longhouse, called the House of Learning, was opened in 2007 as a place for Native American cultural traditions to be shared
Keegan said the Longhouse was part of an overall mission of his to make young people feel comfortable on campus, saying children would visit the Longhouse — and thus the college campus — for tribal events and become familiar with the campus.
“They will feel that they belong on a college campus,” Keegan said.
At least 0.5 percent of any money received from the state Legislature for a capital project must be used for an art project.
The college combined funds from the administrative building, the library, the Science and Technology Building and Maier Hall to create a reflecting pond with an artistic representation of the Olympic Mountains.
Fort Worden
Keegan said he hopes that Port Townsend’s Fort Worden campus is next on the list to receive funding.
If all goes as planned, the college could receive $2 million from the Legislature next year with a $2 million match from the college.
An additional $2 million in fundraising would finish the project to increase the space from 8,000 square feet to 20,000, Keegan said.
Another $2 million project would be to revamp the Forks satellite campus, which is housed in a building in downtown Forks.
“We wouldn’t increase the square footage, but we would increase the quality of the facilities,” Keegan said.
Job applications
One audience member also inquired about Keegan’s recent job applications to two colleges in Florida.
Keegan applied to St. Petersburg College for its top post but did not get the job.
He then applied, but later withdrew his application, to Tallahassee Community College.
“I applied for a job because of a tremendous professional and personal opportunity last spring, and I had not applied for other jobs before that,” he said.
“It did not go the way I wanted it to at the time, but that created an interest in the state of Florida, so I threw my name in one more time.
“It wasn’t a good fit there, and it is a great fit here, so I withdrew my name.”
Keegan said he had no plans to apply elsewhere.
“However, over the course of my life, if there is a great opportunity where I feel I can grow, I will consider it,” he said.
__________
Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladaily news.com.
