NRCC History Book

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Chapter Two

A Time of New Initiatives and a Focus on Student Success

Introduction T he second decade of the 21 st century (2010-2019) was a time of new initiatives and a focus on student success at New River Community College (NRCC). Enrollment (headcount) was over 5,000 students at the beginning of the decade, but it declined every year but one after Fall 2012. The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) formed Shared Services to help with budget cuts which continued to be significant during this decade. At the end of 2019, the NRCC Educational Foundation’s assets were over $20 million, and large donations and grants were received yearly to support the college’s programs and students. Access to Community College Education (ACCE), which provided free tuition at NRCC for two years to qualified high school graduates, was available in four of the college’s service region localities by 2019. The VCCS introduced the second and third strategic plans during 2010 to 2019, and many changes in curriculum and instruc tion were made. NRCC introduced at least a dozen new student success initiatives, and changes in technology and updates to build ings and grounds continued in this decade. To complete the history, discussions of faculty/staff news, college activities, student activities and awards, college reaccreditation, and special guests on campus are included.

Enrollment

Enrollment at NRCC at the beginning of the decade remained strong with a headcount of 5,178 in Fall 2010, 5,207 in Fall 2011, and 5,083 in Fall 2012. However, after Fall 2012, enrollment decreased each fall semester except for Fall 2017 which saw an increase of 170 students over the previous fall. At the end of the decade (2019), the fall headcount was 4,332 students, a 16 percent decrease from Fall 2010. The average fall headcount for this decade was 4,717 students. NRCC was not unique in experiencing enrollment decline; all 23 colleges in the VCCS had fewer students. The VCCS reported an overall fall headcount for 2010 of 195,417 students. By 2019, the VCCS fall headcount was 158,073, a decrease of 19 percent. Factors which may have contributed to declining enrollment included the end of the 2008 financial crisis, an improved economy, a recovered labor market, and individuals returning to work to support their families. Shared Services Organized in 2009, the VCCS re-engineering taskforce studied ways to make Virginia’s community colleges more efficient and effective, while increasing enrollment and improving student

Chapter 2