CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Flat student enrollment, on average, with some institutions seeing potential increases was what the chancellor for the West Virginia Community and Technical College System was predicting for the fall semester at community and technical colleges statewide.
“Our enrollment numbers did not look great at many of the institutions this summer. Several of the institutions had some pretty significant declines, but I think they have been able to bring those numbers up,” Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker said Thursday.
“I look forward to a productive semester.”
No specific numbers were yet available, but she was asked about projected enrollment in the time of COVID-19 during a virtual meeting for members of the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.
As of Thursday, West Virginia Northern Community College in Wheeling was the only community and technical college that had not yet started the semester, according to Tucker. The first day there was set for Monday, Aug. 24.
Most schools began classes earlier this week.
“We’re just getting into the swing of things now,” she said.
On all campuses, Chancellor Tucker said, in-person courses were limited to technical classes.
Other classes had been shifted online.
“This gives them the flexibility to have additional spacing and social distancing for their technical courses and, generally, just thinning out their campuses,” Tucker said.
Robert Brown, chair of the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education, praised school leaders.
“What an incredible job the presidents and their staff have done,” Brown said.
Tucker echoed those comments.
“I do feel like our college campuses are about as safe a place as anyplace that we could be right now frankly,” Tucker said.
“It’s outside of the campuses that I worry about.”
The West Virginia Community and Technical College System includes nine institutions: Blue Ridge, BridgeValley, Eastern, Mountwest, New River, Pierpont, Southern, Northern and West Virginia University at Parkersburg.