If you walked the halls and sidewalks of Centralia College Monday afternoon and thought you saw more people than normal scurrying around, your eyes weren’t deceiving you.
Monday kicked off the spring quarter at the college, bringing with it a massive inflow of students — to the tune of just over 2,000 registered as of Monday afternoon. The latest number follows a two-year upward trend in enrollment, as spring 2009 saw 1,718 students register, and 2008’s spring term saw 1,574 students enroll.
“We’re seeing a big increase in our enrollment in all departments, particularly workforce education and academic transfers,” said Don Frey, the college’s director of media relations, who noted that the numbers could still fluctuate over the next couple days as more students register.
Frey said the applied science and industrial technology departments are the ones most likely to see a higher increase in students. Classes involving lectures are projected to see a higher attendance this quarter as well, according to Frey.
Monday afternoon in the student commons, a line formed just outside the student services office, where late registrations were being held Monday. Staff there set up tables in the conference room, using it as an overflow area to assist students with financial aid questions. Some students didn’t want to sit around and wait, instead opting to spend some time with friends over lunch and partake in a complex game of Dungeons and Dragons.
“I haven’t seen the commons this busy in awhile,” said student Shawn Kaufman of Chehalis. “I’ve been to a couple classes already and my English 102 class was pretty full up.”
Some students voiced concerns about the quality of an education in a crowded class, saying there is potential for less individual help being available for students.
“The more a teacher knows you, they do a better job of teaching you individually,” said Tom Petrie, who commutes from Winlock. “The more people that show up each day, they can’t take the time to get to know you as well.”
It’s not only enrollment in college classes that has spiked, but also other services the college offers. The list for those signed up to take the next General Educational Development test at the college doubled from its average amount of eight to sixteen.
“We’ve had people testing every day since the end of last quarter,” said GED examiner Janet Reaume. “It’s definitely busier than normal, which is good because it’s keeping us very busy.”
College administrators point to the economy as the primary reason for the spike in enrollment, citing layoffs in the area prompting former employees to train in different fields and enhance their education, a key factor when applying for jobs. They say ultimately the college will continue to see a high number of students walk through the doors, especially with Lewis County’s unemployment rate at 15 percent.
“We think this trend is going to continue as long as unemployment remains in double digits,” said Frey. “One of the best refuges for people who are unemployed is college — if you’re not working, you gotta be doing something to help yourself out.”
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Chris Brewer: (360) 807-8235
