Bay enrollment jumps 25 percent
By NIKKI YOUNK, Staff WriterIRON MOUNTAIN - Enrollment is up by 25 percent at the Bay de Noc Community College West Campus this semester and Executive Dean Dr. Patrick Kennedy attributes the increase to more classes being offered and word-of-mouth praise.
Campus officials confirmed today that 682 students are enrolled for classes this fall semester. The new 67,000-square foot facility, which opened for classes in the fall of 2007, is designed to hold a maximum of 1,200 students.
"We have a great facility here with much more space than we had on Carpenter Avenue," explained Kennedy. "We're able to respond to student demand for more courses and programs."
Beginning this fall semester, the West Campus will offer new programs in practical nursing, computing, and automation technology. Faculty are also teaching new courses in Spanish and trigonometry.
Kennedy also lends credit to the fact that the campus has been in operation for a year and is already building a good reputation.
"The word is out that we have our own labs in nursing, chemistry, and biology, which all attract students," he said.
Enrollment is also up at the main campus in Escanaba, with an eight percent increase. More than 200 new students will attend the main campus this fall.
Kennedy hopes that the
West Campus will continue to improve and offer more for students and the community.
"The voters in Dickinson County took a chance on us by approving the millage to build the campus," he said. "We just want to meet their expectations."
Nikki Younk's e-mail address is nyounk@ironmountaindailynews.com.
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BlueBlooded
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08-29-08 12:52 AM
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Delta County residents have over 3.5 mills levied while Dickinson pays 1 mill. I'm sure that Bay would reduce Dickinson County tuition rates if residents would approve a rate of 3.5 mills. Any takers? Even at Bay West rates students are getting a high quality education at a great price. Congrats Bay West on great first-year growth.
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currentbaystudent
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08-28-08 11:54 PM
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Tuition prices at Bay College are SIGNIFICANTLY less than any other college or university, in Michigan or out of state. I am so happy to pay the low tuition, and because it is so low, I am able to attend without going into debt! Believe me, students at Bay are not complaining about tuition! What we want now are more classes offered so that we don't have to drive to Escanaba to finish our degrees. With prices rising across the board for everything, this tuition is the one thing that I can afford!
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ImlaughinATU
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08-28-08 6:00 PM
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You're right. They should have built it somewhere else. That way no one could try to better themselves around here, and we can accelerate this areas slid into obscurity. Then the few that are left can sit in an intellectual and literal ghost town and write petty letters online about how the world owes them, even though they do nothing for it.
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ACCJCOO
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08-28-08 5:26 PM
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The land was donated for the college. We approved a millage to build the college and yet our children get no reduction in tuition fees. That's just not right.
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