This content was published: September 21, 2010. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
40,000 students used PCC’s online registration system Monday, Sept. 20
Photos and story by James Hill
Registration, student services and technology staff have been working around the clock leading up to the biggest day of the year for Portland Community College. And it paid off in a big way.
Students wait for help with financial aid at the Rock Creek Campus on Monday, Sept. 20.
With double-digit enrollment for 13 straight terms and 93,000 students using the college yearly, the first day of classes at PCC is one to dread. From long lines to few parking spaces to overburdened online registration services, this day has always been one to fear by staff and faculty and students.
But on Monday, Sept. 20, things went very well, according to key staff.
At all campuses, crowds were smaller in comparison to years past as registration staff worked after hours to accommodate the demand. Director of Institutional Effectiveness Laura Massey, who volunteers her time as a “blue shirt” helping students find their way at the Rock Creek Campus in the first week, said everything has been running smooth this week.
“Staff have really worked hard to make this experience a good one and have set up a really efficient system here,” Massey said. “I’m a ‘blue shirt’ who appreciates all the hard work that student services provides all year. I think another part of it is that we’ve been doing this for so long that staff, faculty and the returning students know what to do now. It’s becoming second nature on how to access PCC’s services.”
Luis Menchu, PCC’s web services manager, said the college’s online registration system – MyPCC – handled the increase volume of users very well. More than 40,000 unique visitors to the PCC website were online Monday. He credits staff, faculty and students understanding that they need to prepare weeks ahead to have their online registration experience go smoothly rather than wait until the first day of classes.
“On Monday, everyone was visiting PCC via MyPCC,” Menchu said. “A few years ago, MyPCC struggled to support the ongoing growth in usage. We were seeing 50 percent growth year to year. I remember characterizing the start of winter 2009 as a winter storm – it hit us hard and, unfortunately, our students and staff suffered with us. Today we are at a point where we are ahead of the growth curve.
“This is due to a lot of hard work in the college’s Technology Solutions Services to put in place a technical environment that supports our students and the staff that assist them,” he added. “Everyone involved should be proud of how well MyPCC is helping our students.”
MyPCC Web Stats
22,137 people logged in to MyPCC on Sunday.
40,000 logged in to MyPCC on Monday.
Comparing first day of fall 2010 to fall 2009
30 percent increase in maximum number of people in MyPCC at any one time.
14 percent increase in number of people that logged in.
23 percent increase in total MyPCC logins for the day.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »