Enrollment at college up 9% over 2005
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 14, 2006
Doug Carroll


Midway through the fall semester, with enrollment up 9 percent over last year, Chandler-Gilbert Community College is looking ahead to spring.
Registration for second-semester classes begins Monday and will run through the week of Jan. 16, the start of the semester.

"We're still in a growing area of the southeast Valley," said CGCC spokeswoman Trish Niemann, asked to explain an enrollment of 13,000-plus and counting.

"I think it's also that we're continuing to add so many new programs. That's a big draw for people." Programs in law enforcement, fire science and nursing are among the additions over the past two years.

E-learning and self-paced courses also have grown in popularity, Niemann said, showing a rise of 87 percent over last year.

Overall, enrollment at Maricopa community colleges is down 2 percent. The district, which includes Chandler-Gilbert and nine other schools, declined in enrollment last year for the first time in at least a decade.

Officials at Mesa Community College, still the largest school with about 27,000 students, down about 350 from last year, attribute the decline to the state's strong employment numbers, slow growth in sectors of metro Phoenix and competition from other institutions.

Registration for spring classes at CGCC can be done in person at the college's Pecos or Williams campuses; by phone at (480) 732-7320; or online at www.cgc.edu/ registration for courses with no prerequisites.