Colleges welcome new flocks

By MARK HARPER
Education Writer

DAYTONA BEACH -- College students invade campuses this week and next, and they'll find growing crowds, new courses and comfy new living accommodations.

The crush of enrollment is expected to continue at the University of Central Florida, where fall classes start today.

At Daytona Beach Community College, officials are cautiously optimistic that a downturn in the number of students -- enrollment has fallen seven consecutive semesters -- was turning around.

And early projections indicate a record-breaking enrollment at Bethune-Cookman College, where students are arriving in anticipation of next week's start.

At Stetson University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, students are returning to find more amenities that make campus life more comfortable.

Nishant Patel, a 17-year-old from Ormond Beach, didn't want to wait for his high school graduation to attend UCF. So this summer, after his junior year at Spruce Creek High School, he enrolled under an early-entry program.

He took summer courses and is anxiously awaiting his new roommates at the Orlando campus.

"I'm pretty excited about it," said Patel, who is planning to study civil or mechanical engineering.

He's just one of nearly 47,000 students expected to enroll at UCF.

The school is opening two new towers where 1,000 students will live. Also new at UCF: three degrees, in religious studies, event management and real estate.

At DBCC, where dwindling enrollment has started to cut into the school's budget, President Kent Sharples said last week the school was on track to at least match last year's head count, the equivalent of 3,363 full-time students.

That's good news for staff and faculty members, whose raises have been put on hold and will be tied to enrollment. Much of the college's funding comes from state tax revenue, and is based on the count.

"It's not over till it's over," Sharples told the college's Board of Trustees. "I cannot tell you how hard this college has worked (to attract students)."

On campus, students will encounter a number of construction projects. One that has been completed in time for the new semester is Building 500, which will house an improved academic support center and classrooms.

Bethune-Cookman officials prepared this summer for an increase from last year's record enrollment, 3,090, by opening two new scholarship houses and arranging for between 50 and 100 students to move into homes and apartments near the central Daytona Beach location.

"Our retention of returning students is getting better and better," Les Ferrier, director of admissions, said in a news release.

Those students will find a $2.4 million renovation in the new Wildcat Center, a student recreation and fitness center in a former Ford dealership building at 740 International Speedway Blvd.

Stetson's enrollment has steadily grown since 2001, creating a need for more on-campus housing. The DeLand school is largely residential, striving to maintain a ratio of three students living on campus for every one off-campus. On Sunday, students moved into the first new campus housing units in nearly 20 years.

University Village Apartments, a five-building complex, and one new residence hall and clubhouse, cost about $17 million. More than 300 students now call the units home.

Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach campus, with its focus on aviation and aeronautics, has bucked a national trend. Where three women earn four-year degrees for every two men, according to Department of Education figures, Embry-Riddle remains a male-dominated school.

Women comprise 18 percent of the school's student body, said Paula Reed, director of a new women's center on campus. The center, slated to open Aug. 31, will host events, such as speaker luncheons and developmental programs, as well as serving as a liaison to other offices across campus.

Congrats

High props to the leadership, vision and BCC
FAMILY.

nice! how big yawl 'gon get?

Hmm, I guess we'll keep adding as long as we can sustain the enrollment. More people means building and expanding the campus. Additionally, programs are being positioned to move to "university" status although I don't care to have a name change. There's an article on the site about another Master's program that was added recently.

On a personal level, I see no benefit in being too large. I love the family atmosphere.

Alpha72,

What size of a student body would be ideal for you?
I agree with you on the too large thing.I don't think I would want to see FVSU grow beyond 8-10k.And maybe even a little smaller like 6-8k provided we have very strong programs and facilities in place.
BTW,Bethune Cookman University doesn't sound bad at all.

It's always GREAT to hear GREAT news about the GREAT BETHUNE-COOKMAN COLLEGE!