By Karen Gavis/managing editor
TCC enrollment districtwide hit a plateau after students scrambled to meet a shorter registration deadline.

The total headcount of 49,276 who had registered for fall classes as of Aug. 21 decreased by only 15 students from fall 2011. However, last year’s enrollment boasted a 9 percent increase in contrast to this fall’s .03 percent drop.

“I suspect some of the contributing factors to the decrease in our current enrollments may have been the new state and federal regulations implemented last spring,” NW Campus registrar Aubra Gantt said. “The Federal Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress rules are measuring student academic progress more stringently than in the past.”

To help, TCC refers students to financial aid and counseling to establish possible student success plans and also to clarify disease and vaccination laws and mandates, Gantt said.

State law requires new students under age 30 in the state of Texas to show proof of a meningitis vaccine before enrolling.

Also, registration closed a week earlier this fall as part of TCC’s student success initiative.

Individually, most campuses showed a slight decrease in enrollment although TR’s numbers climbed nearly 14 percent.

“One reason why I think that the TR Campus continues to grow at a faster percentage is due to mathematics,” TR registrar Jerry Racioppi said. “A 1 percent increase at the TR Campus represents 70 students whereas the NE Campus must enroll 173 additional students in order to show a 1 percent increase. As a district, 1 percent represents an additional 472 students. These differences in size play a part in the percentage differences between our campuses.”

Racioppi said he thinks about the significance of the statistics in human terms because for those who work at schools, the products of their labor are student success stories.

“I also believe that the students at TR appreciate the numerous ways that our faculty and staff go out of their way to help them in every way we can,” he said. “Our hallmarks and culture are centered on student success as well as making everyone feel welcome and at home on our campus.”

In terms of enrollment, Racioppi said the numbers that really matter will be recorded on census day [Sept. 12], and it is nothing new that students wait until the last minute to register.

“Now there’s a trend I’d like to see change,” he said.