This content was published: October 20, 1999. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Fall Enrollment Marks 12th Consecutive Term of Growth
Photos and story by James Hill
At the end of the fourth week of fall term, enrollment is up once again at Portland Community College, the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon. The full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment, which adds full- and part-time enrollments to get an equivalent full-time figure, is up 2.8 percent college-wide from fall term 1998. This marks the 12th consecutive term of growth at PCC. The total number of students enrolled at PCC, known as headcount, is also up 6.6 percent, or 2,312 students, from last fall to 37,467 students.
Showing the largest growth spurt this term is PCC’s Cascade Campus, which saw its FTE grow 21.5 percent and its headcount leap 21.9 percent to 5,853, an increase of 1,052 students. The Cascade Campus enrollment figures reflect the fact that the Emergency Medical Services and the Fire Science programs moved to the comprehensive Cascade Campus from Cascade’s Open Campus, where it was previously under the umbrella of Adult and Continuing Education. However, without these new program counts, FTE enrollment is still up almost 14 percent at the Cascade Campus.
Also showing a healthy growth in enrollment was the Rock Creek Campus, with FTE jumping 5.5 percent and headcount up 9 percent to 5,632 students. PCC’s Sylvania Campus saw FTE remain nearly the same as last year, dropping about eight students, while its headcount rose 1.8 percent to 12,291 students this fall.
The flat enrollment at the Sylvania Campus is in keeping with the college’s goal to maintain enrollment at the largest campus, Sylvania, and grow PCC’s other two campuses, Cascade and Rock Creek. City planning officials have set a limit on the growth that can occur at Sylvania in Southwest Portland.
PCC maintains three comprehensive campuses, Cascade, Rock Creek and Sylvania, four multi-service training centers, and offers classes at 150 locations throughout its 1,500-square-mile district. PCC’s Cascade Campus is located at 705 N. Killingsworth in Portland. Rock Creek Campus can be found between Beaverton and Hillsboro at 17705 N.W. Springville Road. The Sylvania Campus is located at 12000 S.W. 49th Ave. in Portland.
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 »