Dr. Terri ManningCentral Piedmont Community CollegeJeanie MooreRowan-Cabarrus Community College

Association for Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education,

Charlotte NCMarch 12, 2010

What Impacts the Enrollment of All Higher Education Institutions

Growth in the stateNumber of 18-19 year olds in the stateEducation level of citizensBudget that enables growthBonds that allow for increases in spaceThe economy – especially the community

colleges

NC Projected Population GrowthPopulation Growth in NC

Number 18-19 Years Olds

Relationship Between UNC Undergraduate Enrollment and Number of 18-19 Year Olds in the State

Enrollment Issues for the Universities in a Down Economy

Growth beyond what was projected.Those who had started degrees years ago but

dropped out come back to complete.Student who complete and can’t find jobs, return

and take a few more courses.The unemployed come to the university for

retraining in hopes of finding a different job when the economy recovers.

Local high school grads stay local and live at home.Students going to other universities away from

home, return home and live with parents and take courses at the local university (transfers increase).

Students decide to go on for the masters or doctorate when they can’t get a job.

Internal Issues

Financial aid applications increase (30% at UNCC over Fall 08).

The number of students needing financial aid but having zero family contribution dramatically increases (UNCC <200 in Fall 08 to >1200 in Fall 09).

Number of appeals for various things increases (financial aid status, vouchers from WDB) – all requiring more staff.

Relationship Between Enrollment and State Funding for UNC Institutions

UNC Total FTE State Average $$ per FTE

Does NOT include reversions.

Best Predictor of Headcount Growth for CPCC

The MSA and CSA Unemployment Rates

0.00%

1.00%

2.00%

3.00%

4.00%

5.00%

6.00%

7.00%

8.00%

9.00%

10.00%

11.00%

12.00%

13.00%

14.00%

15.00%

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

MSA Unemployment RateCSA Unemployment Rate

52,000

53,000

54,000

55,000

56,000

57,000

58,000

59,000

60,000

61,000

62,000

63,000

64,000

65,000

19

98

19

99

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

20

04

20

05

20

06

20

07

20

08

20

09

CPCC Total Headcount

NC Unemployment and NCCCS Curriculum Headcount

3.00%4.00%5.00%6.00%7.00%8.00%9.00%

10.00%11.00%12.00%

2000

-01

2001

-02

2002

-03

2003

-04

2004

-05

2005

-06

2006

-07

2007

-08

2008

-09

2009

-10

NC unemployment Rate

230,000240,000250,000260,000270,000280,000290,000300,000310,000

NCCCS Curriculum Headcount

Source: State ESC and NCCCS Websites

???

Does NOT include reversions.

Relationship between Funding and Enrollment

Unemployment in the Charlotte MSA

12 month % change

Manufacturing -11.80%

Information -5.20%

Financial -6.60%

Leisure/Hospitality -1.90%Trade/Transportation/

Utilities -6.70%

Professional/Business -9.20%

Education/Health 1.40%

12 Month Change in Employment by Field

With Poor Economic Conditions, the Students are More Needy

• Displaced workers are different than the more traditional community college students• A greater need for student services

• Need for financial aid goes up– At CPCC

• 2007-08 5,581 students - $12,562,977 in aid• 2008-09 6,691 students - $16,772,986 in aid• 2009 (fall only) 5,967 - $10,987,837• Total FAFSAs for Fall 2009 = 38,024

– Number with zero family contribution (family cannot help them at all) rose from 2,891 in 2008 to 4,681 in 2009 (increase of 62%).

Students are More NeedyNeed for remedial courses goes up: Fall 2009

Of the Top 25 Highest Enrolled Courses – Eight were DevelopmentalCourse Sections Seats Capacity Available % Sold

MAT070 43 1118 1092 -26 102.4%

RED090 39 978 975 -3 100.3%

MAT080 37 947 936 -11 101.2%

ENG090 36 910 900 -10 101.1%

ENG090A 36 909 900 -9 101.0%

MAT050 33 830 829 -1 100.1%

MAT060 31 767 764 -3 100.4%

ENG080 27 701 729 28 96.2%

Students Are More Needy

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Literacy ProgramsGED/Adult HSLimited Eng. Prof.Comp Ed.

Need for literacy programs increases

Impact of Low Education LevelsIndustries with uneducated workers appear to be

most impacted in a down economy.Those with the least education are released first.

Charlotte is slightly different with the financial industry problems.

A poor economy releases large numbers of individuals with much greater educational needs.

Add on top of that – being fired from a job you have held for 20-30 years.

Colleges and universities are serving large numbers of these unemployed individuals with less funding than the previous year – when we need additional staff.

The world has flattened due to outsourcing, trade agreements

and technology.

What is a “Flat World”?• One where technology and collaborative

economies have created an entirely new playing field.• Increased competition and requirements for not only new skill sets but a much more self-reliant, creative and innovative mind set.

Flat World Indicators• Collaboration and competition for increasingly different kinds of work from diverse corners of the world• Connectivity into a single global network which has the possibility of ushering in an amazing era of prosperity and innovation

• World shaped by individuals instead of corporations

• Era driven by non-western, non-white countries such as China and India

• Shift from manual labor to skilled labor moving overseas

Poster Child for a Flat World

Pillowtex (Fieldcrest Cannon)

Closed July 30, 2003

4,800 local jobs lost

Pillowtex Demographics• Average age 46

• 45.7% without high school credential

• Multi-generational job losses within families

• Limited transportation

• Psychologically and physically immobile

• Community social and economic structure dismantled

Barriers to Success• Reluctant or unable to confront reality and consider life options

• Intimidated by idea of returning to the classroom and did not take initiative to seek training

• Not eager to attend school

• Technically challenged with little or no computer skills, rendering them ineffective in job search

• Psychologically and physically immobile

Barriers to Success• Lack of job-seeking skills “savvy”.

• Critical survival needs of clients superseded educational/ training commitments.

• Lack of computer skills and access to personal computers.

• Were weak academically and required significant developmental opportunities in reading,

math, English usage and technical skills.

• Required a very supportive “up front” environment to help them transition to college students.

Student goal in attending RCCC●To obtain a GED 226 (38%)

●To improve their reading, writing and math skills184 (30.9%) ●To update their job skills in order to obtain 230 (38.7%) a different job

●To take a few courses and go back to work 157 (26.4%)

●To receive training in an entirely new field 246 (41.3%)

●To obtain an associate’s degree and return to work 210 (35.3%)

●To complete a two-year degree and transfer to a 20 (3.4%) four-year college or university and earn a bachelor’s degree

Initial Lessons Learned• Difficult to make sound decisions regarding training due to absence of jobs

• Many workers enrolled in courses simply to extend unemployment benefits

• TRA did not support programs of study leading to self- employment even though local economy offered job opportunities (ex. Real Estate/Cosmetology)

• Advising difficult as Trade legislation being re-written simultaneous with event

Initial Lessons Learned• Definition of employment (ESC) does not equal

sustainable wages and benefits

• Adapt attitude – save those you can

• Displaced workers lacked access and familiarity with technology

• Compressed periods of study such as summer term did not work well with this population

• Mechanism needed for sharing confidential information among NEG partners

Initial Lessons Learned• Trade legislation restrictions regarding students

enrolled in Basic Skills and ESL – 52 week limit

• College had no marketing/orientation materials geared to the needs of this population

• College faculty and staff were not trained on how to deal with the emotional stress of displaced workers

• Wage expectations were unrealistic based on skills

• Much greater care and support needed to be given to program of study selection.

Are these factors at work in your community?

In Our Community…• Outsourcing – Pillowtex, Freightliner, Hanesbrand, Performance Fibers, Carter

Furniture, Philip Morris USA• Trade Agreements – Pillowtex (4800), Freightliner (2400), Hanesbrand (185), Philip Morris (1280)

• Technology – Salisbury’s Fiber to the Home Project, North Carolina Research Campus, Electronic medical records, increased numbers of jobs requiring technology

Challenges of a Flat World• Changing roles and forms of government, innovation, business, role of women, war, education, religion, art, science, and research• Disruptive nature of change • Speed at which change is occurring• Lack of experience in dealing with this change• Resistance to change

Skills Needed• Collaboration

• Continuous upgrading of

skills

• Ability to manage one’s own

career

• Creativity

• Innovation

Skills Needed• Hard work ethic

• Commitment to excellence

• Ability to use technology

• Commitment to responsible energy usage and conservation

To compete in the flat world, you need to make yourself

either…

Untouchable • Someone whose job cannot be

outsourced

• Need to be specialized

• A specialized position is one that cannot be digitized or easily substituted.

- or -

An Anchor

Job requires you to be in a specific location• Welder• HVAC• Plumber• Nurse• Electrician

How Do Displaced Workers Become Untouchables or Anchors?

•Understand one’s own interests and abilities

• Commit to ongoing training and skill development• Develop technical skills• Continuously upgrade technical skills• Be flexible and mobile• Demonstrate strong written and oral communication skills• Work well in teams• Be self-directed• Be a self-starter• Effectively problem solve and integrate information• Confidently market one’s self

Establishing a Community of Collaborative Resources

Outreach to dislocated workers is a collective responsibility

RCCC, in coordination with Centralina Workforce Development Board and the NC Department of Commerce ,created the Re-employment Bridge Institute (RBI) to share best practices in serving dislocated workers

Goal of RBI is to create a statewide network of support for agencies and institutions providing services to dislocated workers

“The challenge for America, as well as the rest of the world, is to absorb

these inevitable changes in a way that does not overwhelm people,

but also does not leave them behind.”

From an adaptation of “The World is Flat” by Thomas Friedman

The Center for Applied Research We conducted the research/evaluation

portion of the US DOL grant.Conducted focus groups with former

Pillowtex workers, faculty, staff and area service providers.

We conducted a survey.We learned a lot about the needs of these

types of students.

What do we do?1. Establish an effective daily communication channel for

all faculty and staff at the institution for critical information.

2. Create an effective intake form for displaced workers that is more extensive than a typical admissions form and contains more detailed information critical to student success.

3. Offer training to faculty and staff at the college on how to deal with the emotional distress felt by displaced workers.

4. Make sure all financial aid and funding issues are understood by college staff prior to seeing students.

5. Create materials about the college, its programs and services that are geared toward adult students with little or no higher education experience.

What do we do?

6. Offer workshops and additional resources for faculty on classroom strategies to work with displaced workers (students who have been disconnected from education for 25–40 years).

7. Work with community leaders to collect and refurbish old computers and give them to displaced workers for home use

8. Offer support groups to deal with the non-academic issues that impact student success.

9. Offer pre-college workshops for groups of displaced workers to help them transition to college.

10. Develop a good working relationship with agencies who serve this population.

What do we do?

11.Look at shared-hours agreements with other college for programs (degrees, certificates and diplomas) that cohorts want but are not offered at your institution.

12.Have a comprehensive plan for student schedules.

13.Hold a debriefing session for faculty and staff periodically to learn from one another.

Contact InformationJeanie Moore Rowan Cabarrus Community College moorej@rowancabarrus.eduTerri Manning Central Piedmont Community College terri.manning@cpcc.edu

Copy of the Presentationhttp://www.cpcc.edu/planningClick on “Studies and Reports”