MCC unsure of Prop 300’s affect on enrollment

Chelsea Zaft

For the first time ever highpoint enrollment numbers at MCC have gone down three consecutive years; from fall 2007 to spring 2008 alone the number dropped 6 percent. With numbers like these MCC officials are left trying to figure out what is the cause and how they can combat the falling registration.

The MCC Office of Research and Planning came out with a report toward the end of 2006 that listed a strong economy, low unemployment rate, and increase in tuition as contributing factors to the decline in enrollment.

It stated that, according to the Arizona Department of Economic Security, in May of 2006 the Phoenix/Metro area unemployment rate was lower, at 3.4 percent, than the national unemployment rate of 4.6 percent.

The MCC demographics are changing too.
The report says that the groups growing the fastest have a lower rate of college participation among the college-age population.

Proposition 300, which denies in-state tuition and state funded financial aid to persons unable to provide proper documentation showing they are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or have lawful immigration status, certainly doesn’t help student enrollment numbers and is also being considered a factor.

There is no data though to show how many students have not enrolled because of the new policy and would be “probably impossible to gather because you’re talking about a population that is undocumented,” according to Sonia Filan, director of Institutional Advancement at MCC.

Out-of-state tuition is currently $90 per credit hour for students taking between one and 6.5 credit hours and $268 for students taking seven or more.

Currently, 14.3 percent of students are at MCC are paying out-of-state tuition rates.
MCC has tried to help students with the financial burden by implementing a new payment plan that allows you to make payments through out the semester.

Filan also mentioned that Acting President of MCC, Dr. Bernie Ronan started the Enrollment Management Task Force last semester to look at the enrollment decline and decide how, as an institution, they will address those issues.

The group has met only twice, the first time in December. Whether the task force continues or not and what direction it will take depends on MCC’s incoming president Schoan Pan.

One thing that should increase enrollment numbers is the depleting economy. So far Arizona has remained pretty immune compared to the rest of the nation, according to Doug Conway, co-coordinator of MCC’s Honor’s program. Conway also teaches economics at MCC.

But that is all about to change according to Conway, who warned a recession is coming comprable to the recession of 1981 and 1982.

Pan, who was originally said to be taking office in February but is now more likely to arrive at the beginning of March, said when he last visited MCC that figuring out ways to improve enrollment figures would be among his top priorities.

  • Mesa Legend Staff

    These are archived stories from Mesa Legend editions before Fall 2018. See article for corresponding author.

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