Enrollment at Cosumnes River College has increased by 9% since the fall 2023 semester, said College President Edward Bush.
This growth has put campus enrollment approximately where it was pre-pandemic, Bush said.
“Basically, we recovered from the enrollment downturn that we saw,” Bush said.
An increase of in-person classes offered in the post-pandemic era has contributed to enrollment increases, Vice President of Administrative Services Theresa Tena said.
“I think that we’re offering more in-person classes historically since the pandemic,” Tena said. “We find that students are more successful in in-person classes.”
Increased enrollment has created more demand for communicative resources, said Kate Williams, a math professor at CRC.
“My email inbox is always pretty full,” Williams said. “Between correspondence via email, canvas inbox, or even just in person after class.”
Setting up new students for immediate success is vital to sustained enrollment, Bush said.
“The way we enroll our new students to the institution, pushing them to take 15 units, has boosted enrollment,” Bush said. “The longer it takes for you to finish, the more life happens.”
The Open Educational Resource Zero Textbook Cost program is put in place to provide students with as much academic support as possible, Bush said.
“This semester is right around 74-75% of all of our courses. A student doesn’t have to buy a book,” Bush said. “It is my sense that we are leading the country based on the number of courses that are OERZTC.”
Persistence is the key to sustaining enrollment, said Kristie West, CRC’s public information officer.
“It’s not only just getting students into our college, but it’s trying to keep them enrolled, and interested in their classes and programs,” West said.
With the increase in enrollment, the increase for student resources comes with it, said Williams.
“The ratio of students needing help and available tutors has definitely been skewed.” Williams said. “It’s a good thing. That means more students are using the math center and resources available to them.”
With multiple community college options in the area, student focus is why incoming students should choose CRC, Bush said.