Earlier this summer, the Post asked our readers what issues you wanted to hear candidates running for Johnson County Community College Board of Trustees to address leading up to the Nov. 7 election.
Based on that feedback, we developed a five-item questionnaire centering the issues most important to Johnson County residents.
Each day this week, we’ll publish the candidates’ responses to one question. (Note: This is an open ballot race in which the top three vote-getters will be seated.)
Today, we’re publishing candidates’ responses to the following question:
After a significant dip during the pandemic, total student enrollment at JCCC has started to bounce back in recent years but has not fully returned to pre-pandemic levels. What do you think needs to be done to continue growing JCCC’s enrollment and ensuring the college remains an attractive option for local post-secondary students?
Below are the answers the Post received from candidates on this issue:
Ken Selzer
Enrollment at the college today remains significantly less than at its peak in 2011-12, though it has now hopefully stabilized and possibly is increasing slightly. The decline preceded the pandemic by a number of years so cannot be fully attributed to it like many defenders try to do.
JCCC always needs to think in terms of the value it is providing to students as well as to taxpayers. Fewer students will enroll when they don’t see enough value obtained by attending the college compared to many other alternatives they have for learning and education.
Value to students and employers will come by continually examining the programs, degrees, certificates and lifelong learning opportunities the college is providing. Do they match what students, employers and four-year universities need? Will those learning opportunities ensure employment opportunities in well-paying jobs for students?
The college fills so many gaps and provides so many opportunities right here in Johnson County. Let’s recapture the magic, the innovation and the forward thinking of this institution that existed for the first 40 of its 50+ years of its existence. It can be done, and enrollment will improve.
Laura Smith-Everett (incumbent)
This is something I talk about a LOT on the board. We MUST lower barriers for students to enroll at JCCC. We MUST expand who is considered a prospective student. Census data tells us our population of K-12 students is declining, which means a smaller population is going to come to us directly after high school.
Higher education has many barriers to education including the terminology we use, the processes we have in place and the funding requirements we utilize. I will continue to push our administration to re-evaluate our recruiting efforts and examine the barriers we can remove so more people see themselves as JCCC students.
Mike Storm
JCCC needs to focus on student recruitment and retention. Higher education experts are predicting that U.S. colleges and universities are facing an enrollment cliff sometime after 2025 due to a dramatic drop in the college-age population.
JCCC should work closely with high schools to create programs that ease the transition of graduating seniors to institutions of higher learning. We must also better advertise the cost-saving benefits and high-quality education available at JCCC to graduating seniors.
JCCC should also expand access to quick-step programming for high school students to take classes on JCCC’s campus and enhance its current student retention program to increase the rate of degree completion at JCCC.
Cindy Green
We need to continue to market to our middle and high school students the programs available at JCCC. Over 5,000 high school students are taking classes at JCCC along with their high school classes. If we continue to increase this number, it will help students finish a program sooner or graduate from college sooner.
Another benefit to graduating sooner makes college more affordable and helping students have no student loans or a lower debt. Also, creating internships and scholarships with the business community to recruit students to JCCC and then the future workforce is a benefit to JCCC and business community.
Beneé Hudson
The College has been on a downward enrollment trajectory for many years. College enrollment declines are not unique to JCCC, they are happening across the nation.
There are several factors that play into this besides the pandemic. One we cannot control is the falloff in the youth population. This is a major contributor to the overall decline. We find ourselves fighting over a smaller cohort seeking post-secondary education based on sheer numbers. We will need to look at bolstering college enrollment numbers beyond recent high school graduates. I am a numbers-driven person. If we can provide analysis proving positive outcomes and job placement to adult workers, or members of the community who have not attempted college previously, to skill or credential stack, this could open an opportunity to new student populations. Credential-stacking at JCCC was extremely valuable to my professional growth.
Tuition cost will always be a deterrent. With constant negative headlines and attention surrounding student loan debt, keeping the tuition costs low will give JCCC an edge over four-year institutions and neighboring campuses.
Finally, keeping the college focused on academics and only essential coursework and curriculum related specifically to a field of study will keep JCCC from the growing dissatisfaction many citizens feel towards educational institutions. This focus could entice four-year college-bound students to pivot to JCCC for their first two years.
Greg Mitchell
It is important to note that enrollments are impacted by the overall economy. There is an inverse relationship between employment and enrollments. During periods of higher unemployment, demand increases for skills development, continuing education, certificate programs and the like. With the increased need for skills, enrollments tend to increase. That said, I think this only explains a portion of the phenomena. The relevance of program offerings must remain on the forefront of the enrollment strategy.
It seems to me that there needs to be two parallel strategies. One track focusing on the needs of mid-careerists who need to update and upgrade their skills to remain relevant within their field – especially during economic downturns and/or periods of economic transformation. The other track needs to be focused on the needs of those who are new entrants into the workforce.
As a trustee, I am not going to have all the answers, nor am I going to develop these strategies. My role would be to assure that college leadership is focused on developing strategic plans that effectively address these issues. That would require me to listen, think and learn in a way that will make me an effective advocate and (if necessary) critic of these strategies.
I do believe that JCCC involvement in economic development discussions with employers who want to move to Johnson County will be of growing importance in terms of understanding the skills development needs required to support these business endeavors.
My roll will be to advocate for and support plans to assure that enrollments at JCCC continue to grow to meet the needs of the community.
Valerie Jennings
Did not provide the Post with a response.
Tomorrow, we will publish candidates’ responses to the final question:
What is the current or future project, proposal or initiative at JCCC that you are most excited about, and why do you think it’s important for JCCC’s future?
