CNC Expecting 15 Percent Increase in Enrolment

Thursday, September 03, 2009 03:59 AM

Prince George, B.C. - The College of New Caledonia expects to have 4,000 full time equivalent students this semester. That’s a 12% increase over last year’s enrolment numbers.

“While there is increased enrolment in all programs, there is a significant increase in adult education upgrades” says CNC President John Bowman.

He says many displaced forestry workers are upgrading their skills and looking to make a transition from forestry to health sectors. There has also been a 15% increase in University Transfer programs, the first time in several years that there has been an increase in that area.

Among the students enrolled at the College this year are more than 160 international students including 20 from Saudi Arabia. “We had more than a dozen Saudi Arabian students last year” says Bowman “They find Prince George to be safe, clean and they immerse themselves in the English language. The climate is a shock, but they are enjoying their experience here.”

The Saudi students also reflect the success of the College’s recruiting efforts. Micki Lalonde is the international student recruitment officer. She leaves today for a recruitment trip to India. CNC has been successful in recruiting students from a variety of countires, including Zambia, Nigeria, China, Saudi Arabia and Kenya. "International students typically take english as a Second Language and courses which can be transfered to Universities." Lalonde says the international students like the fact that CNC's programs have smaller class sizes and that the programs are offered in a supportive environment.

The enrolment numbers will be a positive factor for the College’s bottom line. “Certainly the news this week (provincial budget update) was relatively good for us, our funding base is still intact” says Bowman, “While the number of enrolments is up, tuition only represents 15% of our total income. The majority of funding comes from Provincial grants. If those grants don’t keep pace with rising costs, there will be challenges ahead. It will be an interesting budget cycle for next year.”

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Posted on Thursday, September 03, 2009 03:59 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: metalman on September 3 2009 7:56 AM

I guess it comes as no surprise that the woes of the economy end up as a benefit to community colleges, especially with the "retraining" money being handed out left and right by the unemployment insurance gurus. I hope that all of the retrainees find sustainable employment.
It is about time anyway that the feds begin to share some of the massive fund of E.I. money that has accumulated. Hopefully they are generous enough to give the retrainees sufficient monies to live on while they pursue alternate careers.
metalman.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on September 3 2009 9:19 AM

Not suprising at all, considering the high unemployment rate.
Particularly in the forest industry which is still on shakey ground.
So what happens now?
Will the Campbell government continue to claw back funding to CNC and other education programs regardless of the enrollment increase?

Posted by: lunarguy on September 3 2009 9:46 AM

Actually it is the other way around. Last two years the government has pulled funding away from UNBC and given it to CNC to be spent on targeted programs. So far, no news this year about what will happen in that regard.

Posted by: flimmox on September 3 2009 9:53 AM

lunarguy is right. If there indeed was a transfer of money, then the gov't was showing rare foresight. Perhaps with all this growth CNC will need another transfusion from up the hill.

Posted by: duffer on September 3 2009 10:33 AM

Metalman, there is no surplus in the E.I. fund because the Liberals started using it to balance their budgets, and the Conservatives have continued to do so since they got into power.

Posted by: gus on September 3 2009 11:05 AM

Foreign students are supposed to pay full fees, I blieve, so that there is no financial support from the province.

However, I also believe that some Universities provide assistance to foreign students since the number of foreign students attending is one of the indicators of a higher quality institution. I hope that is not the case with the College.

Foreign students appear to go in waves as time progresses. There was a series of Nigerian students going to CNC in the mid 1980s. It just takes one or two from the right family, in some cases, for a network back home to build which promotes others to come. So, give them a nice welcome here and more will follow.

In fact, with the building of a mosque here, that could be a positive thing for others from muslim countries to come here to study. You know, something like using the PAC as an attraction for people to come to PG ...... :-)

Posted by: metalman on September 3 2009 1:30 PM

No surplus! Not surprising that I am out of date.
metalman.

Posted by: Norm1 on September 3 2009 6:50 PM

The information that CNC has 4000 full time equivalent students this semester is also good news for our transit system.

With the recent acceptance of the UPASS at CNC, this enrollment will provide new funding of $48,000 per month to our expanding transit system.