Tyler Junior College Sophomore and Journalism major, Glenda Alvarado feels like TJC is a good fit for her.
“I feel comfortable with the amount of people that go to TJC and because there are a variety of people,” Alvarado said.
Alvarado may not be the only person who feels that way. A Sept. 22 press release announced that total fall enrollment had reached a historic 12,062. This was attribued to a special 12-week session that met the demands of more students. The release also included a statement from TJC President Dr. Mike Metke.
“Our course offerings continue to be in great demand, even to the extent that we were unable to accommodate every student for the regular Fall semester,” Dr. Metke said. “With the establishment of the additional 12-week term, we were able to accommodate most, if not all, of the students who wish to be enrolled at TJC this Fall.”
Dr. Butch Hayes, TJC Provost, also attributes the addition of a 12-week session as a cause of growth.
“I would expect that the choices we gave students with the 16 weeks and then following with the 12 week session increased enrollment, for those that were a little late in coming to registration,” Hayes said. “Staff worked very hard to have mini-registrations and those helped a lot.”
Because of the higher enrollment, class size in some subjects may also increase next semester.
“We will match the class size with the kind of class it is,” Hayes said. ” You put 40 students in a speech class and students will never do a speech.”
According to Hayes some classes must also stay small in order to receive accreditation.
“We realize that some classes have to stay small. In the medical program, those classes have to be small because of accreditation standards,” Hayes said. “We don’t want classes too large that a student can’t have a good learning environment.”
According to Hayes, lecture classes can be bigger than lab classes, which are more hands-on. Also, computer classes can limit the amount of students who can attend because of the amount of equipment.
TJC must also keep or increase its enrollment at the same level for next year.
“The college has a goal to keep our enrollment as the same “The college has a goal to keep our enrollment as the same since last spring or increase it,” Hayes said. “If we don’t stay at the same level, then we have to answer to the state of Texas for giving us money based on the population that we had last year.”
Hayes also has hopes for more night classes and to start classes that will occur on both Friday and Saturday. This is to assist students who may also be working.
“I hope there will be more night classes,” Hayes said. ” My goal personally, and I am working with the deans to make sure this happens, is that we have more night classes and more classes on Friday and Saturday. So that students can work and just come to school.”
